Many people have questions about Invisalign® for teens. This post hopefully will help parents like you to know what their teenagers will experience during the treatment. First of all, it can be a comfortable, discreet way to straighten teeth so it is important to know a little bit about it before starting. If you want to ask Dr. Mooney about Invisalign for teens, here are some questions to consider.
This is often the first question in the minds of many teens. Discomfort is a real concern. Unlike traditional braces that have brackets and wires which take some getting used to, Invisalign works using a series of plastic aligners that are easier to acclimate to wearing. That can be one advantage of Invisalign over braces.
Using Invisalign for teens means wearing plastic aligners. These custom-fit trays go around the teeth. There will be mild pressure upon wearing them. The discomfort is tolerable and generally dissipates quickly. The mild ache is part of the adjustment in the beginning. Teeth don’t know if there is a piece of plastic pushing them or a wire pushing them so there is usually some kind of soreness either way.
After discomfort, teens often ask about how long they will need to wear Invisalign for teens. They will need to wear the aligners for different amounts of time depending on the severity of their orthodontic condition at the beginning of treatment. This time can range from as little as 6 months to as much as 2 ½ years. Talking to Dr. Mooney at a complementary consultation about the treatment period can help clear up the matter.
Wearing Invisalign for teens every day does not involve keeping them on all day, but pretty close to it! Teens can remove the aligners during teeth cleaning (brushing and flossing) to enable the patient to remove food particles and just like they would normally do. Aligners should also be removed when eating and drinking anything other than water. This will prevent the aligners from staining and decrease the risk of decay and gum disease.
Changing the aligners on time, keeping them in the mouth as much as possible and coming in for regular appointments will keep the treatment on schedule. Routine dental visits with your general or pediatric dentist will also help ensure the health of the patient’s teeth during the treatment period.
Traditional braces often involve some food restrictions like removing all hard, crunchy, chewy and sticky foods. With Invisalign, the aligners should be removed before eating and cleaned before replacing them in the mouth. Food selection is generally not limited in the same way as it is for braces since there is no concern about dislodging the brackets or wires.
Invisalign for teens will need to be in the mouth as close to 24 hours per day as possible (allowing for it to be taken out to eat, brush, floss and drink anything other than water) but definitely not less than 22 hours per day. Patients can take off the aligners and eat pretty much anything. Parents will not have any issues reminding their teens about what and what not to eat. Brushing teeth and aligners after every meal is ideal. This is to make sure there are no food particles left in the teeth or adhering to the aligners.
The aligners are nearly invisible so there is often less concern about socializing with Invisalign. Smiling, talking, and laughing will not be an issue. They will present only minimal impact on day-to-day life.
Overcrowding and misalignment can cause a low self-image. It can also affect the dental health of teens. Using Invisalign for teens can improve their dental alignment without visible brackets and wires. This has great potential to enhance your teen’s quality of life.
Are you considering getting Invisalign for teens in the O'Fallon area? Get more information at https://www.showmesmiles.com. Better yet call us to schedule a complimentary consultation to find out what Dr. Mooney can do for you.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Invisalign For Teens in O'Fallon, MO.
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