At Saddle Creek Orthodontics, we want our teen patients to start their journey towards straighter teeth with excitement, and Invisalign Teen helps us do just that. Instead of the brackets, wires, and bands that come with traditional braces, the Invisalign system uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually move teeth into more desirable positions. This gives you a straighter smile, and it also optimizes your bite alignment, making your teeth more comfortable and easier to care for. Choosing treatment with Invisalign Teen ensures your smile looks and feels great!
How does Invisalign Teen differ from Invisalign?
Although both systems work the same way and share the same underlying technology, Invisalign Teen was developed by leading orthodontists with the unique needs of teen patients in mind. With their input, special features were added to the Invisalign Teen system, including:
Compliance indicators
Patient compliance is a must when it comes to Invisalign. In fact, it’s the single biggest factor in successful treatment! In order to keep the orthodontic process on track and achieve the best results, patients must stick to Dr. Fagala’s recommendations and wear their aligners for 20-22 hours daily. To help keep teens accountable, Invisalign Teen has incorporated a compliance indicator into each aligner. The indicator fades from blue to clear as it is used, providing a visual approximation of wear that lets patients, parents, and orthodontists track its use. If a teen isn’t holding up their end of the treatment bargain, Dr. Fagala will normally be able to tell in enough time to correct compliance before treatment process is delayed.
Eruption tabs
This feature accommodates the growth of the second molars in young adults, helping to keep space open for unerupted teeth and making it possible to treat a wider range of conditions with Invisalign.
Replacement aligners
Who hasn’t lost or damaged something important to us before? Teens are no different. Even though we encourage our teen patients to treat their aligners with care, life just happens sometimes. Fortunately, Invisalign Teen provides up to six replacement aligners at no charge, so there’s no need to worry if an aligner is misplaced or damaged.
What are the benefits of Invisalign Teen?
The most obvious benefit of either Invisalign system over traditional braces is the clear aligners, which allow patients to straighten their smile in an incredibly discrete way. But it has a number of other unique benefits that make it a great choice for teens!
Convenience
The brackets and wires traditional braces are composed of can sometimes come loose or break, resulting in emergency appointments. They also require regular adjustment appointments as part of the orthodontic process. Because you receive your aligners in advance, Invisalign Teen will often require fewer appointments, and each check up will typically involve less “chair time.” This makes the system perfect for teens with busy schedules! On average, we see Invisalign Teen patients every eight weeks or so.
Flexibility
The food restrictions that come with braces can be a big learning curve, with anything too crunchy or chewy off the menu until treatment is complete. Invisalign Teen aligners are designed to be removed at mealtimes, so you’ll still be able to eat all your favorite foods! It is important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine, particularly when undergoing orthodontic treatment, so we encourage all patients to brush at least twice a day and floss nightly to keep the teeth and gums free from food debris and bacteria. This is another plus in the Invisalign column - because you remove your aligner before brushing or flossing, it’s as easy as ever to clean your teeth.
Invisalign is also an ideal choice for teens who are active in sports or play a musical instrument. For our more athletically inclined patients, the aligner can be removed before practice or a big game and replaced with a regular mouthguard. The musicians among us are also able to remove the aligner before band practice or a concert for uninterrupted music making! BONUS BENEFIT: Invisalign Teen aligners can be removed for important events like homecoming, prom, senior pictures, or any time you want nothing but your natural smile to shine through.
Similar outcome at a similar cost
When looking into alternative orthodontic treatments, many families have concerns about the cost. The good news is that Invisalign Teen costs just about the same as traditional braces! Here at Saddle Creek Orthodontics, we’re happy to offer flexible payment plans with 0% interest and automatic bank drafts. We will also check with your insurance company for orthodontic benefits since many dental insurance policies actually cover orthodontic treatment for patients under eighteen. You can click here to see a list of insurance policies we currently accept.
Confidence booster
In recent years, orthodontics has made some amazing advances, especially where braces are concerned. But even though they’re far more comfortable and subtle than ever before, many teens worry about traditional braces affecting their appearance or lifestyle. Braces are excellent as a long-term solution for correcting crooked teeth and other oral issues, but they can sometimes make insecurities worse in the short-term. Because Invisalign Teen aligners are practically invisible, no one even needs to know you’re wearing them! This can remove a very real source of stress for teen patients, making it much easier for them to focus on the things that matter.
Is Invisalign Teen right for you?
The Invisalign Teen system is most effective at correcting mild to moderate cases of the most common orthodontic issues. Cases that are more severe or complex may sometimes require more precise tooth control than a removable aligner can achieve. By scheduling a complimentary consultation with Saddle Creek Orthodontics, Dr. Fagala will be able to determine if Invisalign Teen would be a good fit for your specific orthodontic issues.
If you’re a teen interested in Invisalign Teen treatment, Invisalign has provided a “cheat sheet” to help you talk to your parents about how Invisalign works. You can also take their Smile Quiz here - there’s even an option to email the results to your parents! There are a few other ways to learn more about this system, too.
Check out #InvisalignTeen on social media to see other teens just like you showing off their straighter smiles, visit the teen section of our Invisalign FAQ page, or have your parents schedule a free consult with us to assess your specific case.