Is your teen dreaming of a perfect smile — without the hassle of metal braces? The Invisalign® system corrects crooked teeth, crowding, or gaps all without metal brackets, wires, and painful adjustments. Invisalign is ideal for teens with both cosmetic and dental concerns (like minor bite issues), and your teen can experience this treatment at our Hercules, California, office.
Here are five reasons why Dr. Lovely Manlapaz Teodoro at The Dental Center of Hercules suggests Invisalign for your teen.
If your teen is dreading braces, he or she isn’t alone. Because traditional braces use metal brackets and metal wires, it’s not uncommon for teens to deal with sores, lip lacerations, and oral blisters. Not only are the braces themselves uncomfortable, but the adjustments also cause pain. Typically, metal braces are tightened or adjusted every six weeks, resulting in pain for several days afterward. This tooth pain may leave your child stuck on a soft diet of scrambled eggs, soup, oatmeal, or shakes.
Thankfully, the Invisalign trays and the process itself is much more comfortable.
Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign relies on a soft BPA-free plastic tray to shift your teen’s teeth. Each tray is hand-trimmed to fit snugly against your teen’s gums. SmartTrack®, which is a thermoplastic material patented by Invisalign, has a smooth surface, eliminating those painful cheek caused by metal brackets.
Unlike traditional braces, which shift teeth by tightening wires, there is no “tightening” with Invisalign. Instead, your teen simply inserts a new tray every 1-2 weeks, as directed by Dr. Teodoro. This process gently shifts your teen’s teeth closer to their final location.
Is your teen self-conscious about crooked or gapped teeth? Invisalign can address cosmetic issues while still tackling dental conditions that impact the function of his or her mouth. Invisalign can correct minor bite issues, including open bite, overbite, underbite, and crossbite.
Correcting dental issues like overcrowding and malocclusions not only enhances the appearance of your teen’s smile, but it also prevents unwanted complications. For example, crowding can make it harder to floss, and bite problems can make it difficult to chew properly.
Even though Invisalign aligner trays must be worn 20-22 hours each day, they are removable. This means your child can remove his trays to eat and brush his or her teeth. Because the trays are removable, your child isn’t limited to a braces-friendly diet. Without wires in the way, brushing and flossing are much easier, leading to improved oral hygiene.
Not only is eating and brushing easier, but the entire process is discrete. Your teen can feel confident thanks to clear trays.
Are you curious how you’ll keep track of those 20-22 hours? Invisalign has the solution. A blue indicator dot on the aligner trays ensures that your teen wears his or her aligner trays for the recommended 20-22 hours per day.
Teens frequently want to know how long their treatment will last. While each case is different, the majority of teens won’t have to use trays throughout all four of their high school years.
Depending on your child’s oral needs (such as the severity of any bite issues) and how often they wear the trays, the average Invisalign treatment takes only 12-18 months, with visible results in just a few weeks. On the other hand, traditional metal braces typically take at least two years.
No two teens are alike, and no two Invisalign treatment plans are identical. We use ClinCheck® software, to lay out your teen’s treatment plan from the first aligner tray to the last one.
If your teen is ready to transform their smile, call our Hercules, California, office at 510-254-3328 to book an appointment. Alternatively, you can schedule a consultation via our website.
