When Jaden began her Invisalign Teen treatments, I felt pretty informed before going in. Partnering with Invisalign, I had traveled to San Jose to visit their corporate offices and really learn all I could about the product. I read up on all of the available documents and watched as many videos as I could. Therefore, I was confident in the process and knew it would be perfect for improving her smile. But, not every parent has that kind of opportunity.
What Parents Need to Know About Invisalign Teen
Now, Invisalign Teen does an incredible job laying out the facts and passing along information to parents. And as we start the last phase of Jaden’s treatment, I feel like I can better understand and share what parents (really) need to know about Invisalign Teen. After all, it is your child’s dental health we’re dealing with. You are working to improve their smile and give them a lifetime of straight teeth, right?!
What is Invisalign Teen?
First, let’s talk about what exactly Invisalign Teen IS. Straight from their website is the best, most accurate way, to give this piece of info: “Invisalign Teen is the virtually invisible way to straighten your teen’s teeth without the restrictions that come with metal braces. Rather than wires and brackets, Invisalign® uses a series of clear, removable aligners that have been custom-made for your teen’s teeth. Your teen simply wears them over their teeth and changes them out for a new set of aligners every two weeks. Little by little, your teen’s teeth gradually shift into place, achieving that confident smile.”
Invisalign vs Traditional Braces
Colby and I both wore traditional braces — and hated them. For both of us, the bands used to hold the metal brackets and wires on destroyed the molars they were wrapped around. Invisalign Teen uses clear attachments that are far less evasive. And Invisalign Teen can still be just as effective as traditional metal braces. The treatment can be used to effectively treat mild to severe
cases, including underbite, overbite, overcrowding and gaps between teeth. Make an appointment with a certified Invisalign Teen orthodontist near you to learn more.
How long does treatment take?
When it comes to metal braces, treatment times vary based on the individual case, right? For instance, I wore my braces for 2 years and Colby wore his for FIVE! With Invisalign Teen, the treatment is comparative to traditional braces, and still very much depends on the severity of the condition and can only be determined by an orthodontist.
Is there accountability?
We all know that teens do not always do as they are told. The orthodontist will tell you (and your teen) that the aligners are most effective when they are worn 22 hours a day. This allows time to take them out to eat, drink, brush your teeth, etc. With Invisalign Teen, the orthodontist can tell if the teen is telling the truth using the built-in assurance check. Meaning, each aligner has blue indicators that fade over time when used as directed, so that the orthodontist can easily track compliance.
Time Spent at the Orthodontist
Remember getting your braces tightened and how long it took each time? Nope. We take Jaden in for her appointments every 6 weeks. The orthodontist checks her progress, examines her teeth, and gives her the next few sets of trays. We are literally in and out within 15-20 minutes. The wait to be seen often takes longer than actually talking with our amazing orthodontist!
As you can see, it’s a very straightforward process. Invisalign offers a great amount of reading material to help us, as parents, navigate the entire process. Head over to Invisalign Teen and take the Invisalign Smile Assessment to determine if Invisalign is right for you. Nothing like a few real-life stories and pictures to motivate you to prepare to celebrate a new smile! Whether you’re an adult or teen, Invisalign can help address your individual needs.
