What Are the Benefits of Choosing Invisalign Teen?
The major benefit is the lack of metal brackets and wires, which is perfect if your teenager feels self-conscious about wearing traditional braces. It also means that in the future, they can look back at those yearbook photos confidently without seeing a mouthful of metal. Other benefits are listed below.
- Near invisibility, as once the aligners are in the mouth, they are difficult to see. Others might be able to spot a slight halo effect around the teeth, but they would have to be extremely close.
- Minimal impact on everyday life, so your teen can still eat and drink whatever they wish while straightening their teeth discreetly.
- There are no sharp edges, brackets, or wires to dig into their cheeks and lips.
- Checkup appointments are quick as there are no brackets or wires to adjust.
- Treatment times are similar to braces.
Features of Invisalign Teen
Although Invisalign Teen is similar to the adult system, there are some important modifications.
Compliance Indicators
Good compliance is vital if the treatment plan is to be a success, so Invisalign includes compliance wear indicators. These are discreet blue dots located at the back of each aligner. As your child wears the aligners as directed, the dots gradually fade.
Compliance wear indicators are a great way to see that your child is wearing your aligners correctly.
SmartForce Attachments
Not everyone will need SmartForce attachments, but they are useful in certain cases. They are small tooth-colored resin shapes attached to specific teeth in precise locations before or during treatment.
SmartForce attachments are designed to act like handles so that when wearing the aligners, they have something to gently push on, helping move teeth in the right direction.
Precision Wings
This is another solution that will not be needed by everyone but can be good if more complex issues require correction, particularly an overbite.
In this case, the precision wings will gradually move the lower jaw during treatment. The wings help improve your child’s bite and overall facial appearance by pushing their lower jaw forward.
Eruption Tabs
Does your teen still have teeth that have yet to erupt? Invisalign can accommodate these teeth with eruption tabs. The tabs are custom-designed to leave an open space in the aligners so their teeth can finish erupting without problems.
Replacement Aligners
We know teenagers tend to lose and mislay items or can damage them. Therefore, Invisalign Teen comes with a limited number of replacement aligners, which are included as standard.
If they do lose or mislay a set of aligners, you can simply contact our dental office, and we can replace them quickly, allowing treatment to continue without interruption.
How Does Invisalign Teen Work?
The process for having Invisalign Teen is straightforward. The steps are outlined below.
Visiting Our Invisalign Teen Provider
An initial consultation with our trained Invisalign Teen dentist is necessary so we can check your child’s mouth and discover if they are a good candidate. This initial visit is also a good chance to ask questions and get to know the system better.
Assessing Your Candidacy and Setting Treatment Goals
Invisalign Teen is ideal for treating different types of malocclusion, including:
Our Invisalign dentist must examine how your child’s teeth bite or occlude together. We will also need to take digital X-rays to assess the position of teeth that have yet to erupt, check if Invisalign is the right solution, and begin formulating your treatment goals.
Creating Your Custom Treatment Plan
The next and most exciting stage is planning your treatment using a 3-D digital scan and digital images that may include photographs and X-rays.
Invisalign has proprietary software to create a custom treatment plan using this diagnostic information. Our Invisalign dentist uses the software to plan how each tooth will move until they are finally straightened.
Digital images are produced as part of this process, showing how your teen’s teeth are predicted to look after treatment, provided they follow the treatment plan properly.
Aligner Fabrication
When the treatment plan is complete, Invisalign will manufacture the custom aligners. Each aligner set is made to fit over your teenager’s teeth precisely. Each set will gradually move their teeth a little bit more.
Once the aligners are ready, you return to our dental practice so we can show your teen how to insert and remove them and discuss how to care for them.
Patient Experience
Finding Invisalign for Teens Near Me
Looking into Invisalign for your teen but not sure where to start? Clear aligners like Invisalign Teen make it easier for young people to straighten their teeth without metal braces. But finding the right provider nearby matters just as much as the treatment itself.
Here are a few easy ways to find a dentist offering Invisalign for teens nearby:
- Check insurance provider directories. If you’re planning to use insurance, log into your dental insurance portal and filter for orthodontists offering Invisalign Teen treatment.
- Try searching terms like “Invisalign teen near me,” “Invisalign teen near me,” or “clear aligners for teens near me.” These will pull up local providers who specialize in teen orthodontics.
- Use tools like Google Maps, Zocdoc, or Healthgrades to compare providers in your area. Look at patient reviews, before-and-after photos, and whether the office mentions experience with teen cases.
- Ask your child’s dentist or pediatric dentist. They often know which orthodontists in your area offer Invisalign Teen and can point you in the right direction.
- Visit the provider’s website. If they offer Invisalign for teens, they’ll usually explain the difference between adult and teen treatment, share photos, and may even offer free consultations.
- Check for flexible scheduling and payment options. A good Invisalign dentist near you will usually work around school hours and may offer financing to help make the process easier.
- Check the official Invisalign website. Use their Doctor Locator Tool to search for certified Invisalign Teen providers by ZIP code. It shows experience level, office details, and sometimes even patient ratings.
Daily Wear Guidelines
Once they begin wearing your aligners, following the treatment plan closely is important. Some guidelines are listed below.
- Ensure they wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day. Ideally, we would prefer they only remove them for meals and oral care.
- Continue brushing and flossing teeth normally.
- They must clean their teeth after every meal and clean the aligners before replacing them. Not cleaning the aligners properly could make them stained and unsightly, increasing the risk of bad breath.
- They can remove your aligners and wear a custom mouthguard during sports. The aligners will not replace a sports mouthguard.
- If they play a wind instrument, they can keep your aligners in. They will not affect your child’s ability to play the instrument. However, they may need to spend some time adapting to playing with the aligners initially.
Ensure the aligners are changed every two weeks or as directed in the treatment plan.
Regular Checkups
Ensure your teen comes to see us regularly every 6 to 8 weeks. These checkups are quick but important as they allow our Invisalign dentist to assess their tooth movements and make any necessary changes to the plan.
Invisalign Retainers
After completing treatment, your teen must wear retainers. These are made from the same durable clear material as the aligners but are designed to retain teeth in their new positions rather than move them.
Wearing retainers is essential. Initially, they will probably need to wear them all the time, just like the aligners, until their teeth settle down. Our Invisalign dentist will discuss when they can begin reducing the wear time so they can eventually wear them overnight or for a few hours each week.
Contact Us If You Have Any Problems
Getting used to wearing your new aligners can take a bit of time. Initially, they may be slightly uncomfortable, but any discomfort should ease as your child becomes accustomed to them. If it doesn’t, contact us.
Our friendly dental team is here to help you both, answer any questions, and make any required adjustments to the treatment plan so they feel more comfortable during teeth straightening.
Invisalign First
Invisalign First is a treatment designed especially for children ages six to 10. If you have a child of this age, they may need Phase 1 treatment or early orthodontic care. Treatment still uses the same clear aligners that are removable.
What Is the Aim of Phase 1 Treatment?
The primary aim of Phase 1 treatment is to use a child’s growth spurts to guide the shape of their jaws. A child’s jaw bones are still soft at this age, and early orthodontic treatment can help them develop into the correct shape and size.
How Can Invisalign First Be Used in Phase 1 Treatment?
Invisalign First can help treat problems ranging from narrow dental arches to overcrowding and spacing issues.
Because the aligners are removable, it’s easy for even a young child to maintain good oral care. You can ensure they brush and floss properly whenever they remove the aligners or complete this task for them if they are younger.
The aligners are comfortable to wear as there are no brackets or wires that can poke into sensitive gums, cheeks, or lips.
Who Is a Candidate for Invisalign First?
If your child sees a pediatric dentist regularly, they may suggest an orthodontic evaluation. Seeing an orthodontist when a child is very young can address early orthodontic or phase 1 treatment issues.
Your child may be suitable for Invisalign First if they have issues identified by our orthodontist, which can be corrected with early treatment.
Treatment can help children with a thumb or finger-sucking habit and where it has changed the shape of their upper jaw.
Benefits of Invisalign First
Although Invisalign First is a newer treatment, it uses the same proven technologies as the original adult-oriented system.
Treatment with Invisalign First can be easier for young children to cope with. There are no food restrictions, and oral hygiene is simple to maintain. The lack of wires and brackets means zero risk of breakages and no wires to dig into cheeks and gums.
Invisalign Express
Invisalign Express works similarly to traditional Invisalign treatment, with some important differences.
Orthodontic treatment can correct a wide range of problems affecting your bite and tooth alignment. However, sometimes significant treatment is unnecessary, and an alternative system like Invisalign Express can correct issues quickly.
What is Invisalign Express?
Invisalign Express uses the same clear aligners as the normal Invisalign system. You follow the same process to straighten your teeth, but fewer aligners are provided. With Invisalign Express, you can have five, seven, or ten sets of aligners. In comparison, traditional treatment can require 20 or 30 sets of aligner trays.
When is Invisalign Express Used?
Invisalign Express is used in specific situations listed below.
Making Minor Tooth Adjustments
Invisalign Express makes minor tooth adjustments, especially those that affect your front teeth. These include moving just a few teeth or correcting a tooth that is only rotated out of position by a few degrees. It is not designed to correct more major tooth problems that could affect your bite.
Orthodontic Relapse
Invisalign Express can be perfect for cases of orthodontic relapse. If you previously received orthodontic treatment but haven’t continued wearing your retainers after completing treatment, your teeth can shift slightly.
Using Invisalign Express aligners can realign your teeth quickly. However, even though the tooth movements are small, it’s important to be prepared to wear your retainers afterward. Otherwise, the teeth will shift out of place again.
How Long Will Invisalign Express Treatment Take?
Usually, you will complete treatment within a few months. The timeframe depends on how many aligners we recommend, but generally, you can expect to wear them for between 10 and 20 weeks.
Am I a Candidate for Invisalign Express?
It’s important to stress that the Invisalign Express is best for treating mild orthodontic problems that include:
- Spacing issues that are no more than a couple of millimeters.
- Correcting the midline.
- Correcting minor tooth rotations.
- Minor problems with overcrowding.
What Are the Advantages of Invisalign Express?
Invisalign Express can offer several advantages, including:
- Faster treatment time, taking six months on average compared to up to 3 years for traditional orthodontic treatment.
- Fewer office visits are required.
- Treatment is cheaper since fewer aligners are needed.
Will Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Invisalign Express?
If your dental insurance covers orthodontic treatment, then you may be able to claim part of the Invisalign treatment cost. However, because Invisalign Express provides benefits that can be considered cosmetic, it may not be covered as it is not medically necessary.
An initial consultation with our Invisalign dentist will determine your suitability for Invisalign Express. Suitability depends on whether you have issues that can be corrected with ten aligners or fewer. Otherwise, we can recommend another orthodontic system.
Invisalign Lite
Invisalign Lite is an orthodontic system that deals with mild to moderate bite problems (malocclusion). It can be ideal if you wish to improve the overall aesthetics of your smile but don’t require any major changes or tooth movements.
What Is Invisalign Lite?
Invisalign Lite uses the same clear aligners found in all Invisalign systems. However, the number of aligners is restricted to 14.
The system works in the same way as other Invisalign systems. The planning process is the same, so your teeth are digitally scanned before we create your custom treatment plan using Invisalign’s proprietary software.
You wear each set of aligners for two weeks, keeping them in for at least 22 hours each day before swapping them out for the next set. You will also need to come and see our Invisalign dentist regularly to check that the treatment is working as anticipated.
Am I a Candidate for Invisalign Lite?
The system is suitable for specific situations, including:
- Mild overcrowding issues.
- Mild to moderate spacing problems.
- Correcting the midline.
- Correcting problems with minor tooth rotations.
- Orthodontic relapse.
Because the number of aligners is restricted to just 14, it is only suitable in certain circumstances. When you visit our Invisalign dentist, we can assess if this treatment may be suitable or if another Invisalign system could provide better results. If you have more significant problems with your bite, Invisalign Lite will not provide the best treatment outcome.
“ Wonderful experience at Envy Smile Dental Spa! Got Invisalign and am so happy with everything. Would 100% recommend!“
Noelle Mapes Invisalign Patient
What Are the Advantages of Using Invisalign Lite?
Invisalign Lite can quickly treat minor orthodontic issues and can be ideal if you have a big event to prepare for, such as retirement, a wedding, or even a promotion. It can move teeth into the proper positions before cosmetic treatment, for example, veneers that can help perfect a smile.
Because so few aligners are needed, treatment is cheaper than full Invisalign. The aligners provide all the comfort and convenience of traditional Invisalign aligners.
Invisalign Lite is not designed to correct more extensive issues that require a far greater number of aligners.
Will Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Invisalign Lite?
Invisalign treatment is often covered by dental insurance if it can provide oral health benefits. The costs may not be covered because Invisalign Lite most likely provides only aesthetic benefits.
Talk to your insurance provider or discuss this with our friendly dental team. We have experience dealing with most major dental insurance companies and can provide useful help and advice.
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When you visit our dentist for your initial consultation, we can assess your teeth to determine if Invisalign Lite is the right solution or if another Invisalign treatment is preferable and will provide better results. If you have any questions about Invisalign treatment or want to book a consultation with our orthodontist, call Brooklyn Invisalign Center at (718) 375-3757.