Invisalign for Teens

Teens and braces are a common pair. Some adolescents, though, wish for a more discreet way to straighten their smile and, thanks to Invisalign for Teens, there is one. These clear trays can take half the time of metal braces to straighten a smile and are nearly impossible to see on the teeth. We offer this innovative option to qualified patients at Manhattan Beach Dental Solutions in Manhattan Beach, CA.

How Invisalign for Teens Works

Invisalign for Teens works exactly like traditional Invisalign treatment, with a few additional elements to keep this age group on track.

• Wear time: Trays are worn for 20 to 22 hours a day. Yes, that means the entire school day, during sports and afterschool activities, and while you sleep. The only time you remove the trays are for meals and snacks.
• Process: Each set of trays is worn for about two weeks during which time specific teeth and their roots are shifted into alignment. When you move on to the next set of aligners, different teeth are targeted, and so on. This allows for gentle, consistent movement.
• Eating: You can’t eat with Invisalign in your mouth. Doing this could crack, break, or stain the trays. Keep your case with you to stash the trays before you have a meal – in school, this is only lunch so it’s a minor inconvenience during your day. The perk is that you can eat whatever you want without restrictions unlike wearers of conventional metal braces.
• Wear indicators: Parents worry about whether their teen is wearing their trays as often as they’re supposed to, and your Manhattan Beach Invisalign provider has this concern too. To keep patients in check, small blue wear indicator dots are placed at the back of every tray. If they’re worn properly, the indicators will fade over time, showing that the trays are hard at work for the bulk of every day.
• Eruption tabs: For those teen patients who still have teeth erupting, Invisalign Teen can be designed with eruption tabs to help guide these new teeth into their proper position. They won’t have any opportunity to be crooked or twisted or misaligned or interrupt treatment.

Are You a Good Candidate for Invisalign for Teens?

Every patient who is interested in Invisalign will undergo a detailed dental exam to determine if this treatment will work for them, including:

• Digital scan: A digital scanner allows for the creation of a highly accurate digital model of the teeth. No impressions necessary.
• Evaluation: After the scan, your Invisalign provider will look at your teeth and this advanced imagery to see what is possible.
• Customization: If you are a good candidate for Invisalign for Teens, your dentist will design a customized series of aligners that are switched out every two weeks until they gradually straighten teeth.
• Checkups: It’s only necessary to visit your Invisalign provider every eight weeks or so, which is far less frequently than someone with metal braces. You will have several sets of trays at home to switch out as instructed until you see your dentist again.

Get Invisalign Teen from Your Manhattan Beach Dentist

Parents have concerns about Invisalign Teen because they worry about their teen’s ability to be responsible. Overall, most adolescents are so excited to have braces that don’t look like regular braces that they are dedicated to their treatment and determined to make it work. It’s good to know though that the treatment does come with six replacement aligners – it’s easy for anyone, not just a teenager, to lose, damage, or throw away a tray accidentally.

Get answers to all your questions about Invisalign for Teens from Manhattan Beach Dental Solutions in Manhattan Beach, CA. Contact us to schedule a consultation.