What Parents Should Know about Invisalign for Teens

If there is any dental procedure that parents typically put their children through, it would be getting braces. Although the reason behind this can be anyone's wild guess, it may mostly be because they simply have the financial means to pay for the procedure.

Of course, braces can be installed at any time, but having someone cover the cost to have their teeth straightened is quite advantageous for teens out there. There’s also the time factor, which is a big plus—the earlier they go through with the braces, the less they have to worry about it in the future.

If you are a parent looking for solutions to straighten your teen's teeth, you may have run into something known as Invisalign. Here's what you need to know about this procedure before you choose it for your teen:

How It Works

Invisalign braces work similarly to metal braces, where both procedures work to straighten the teeth. However, how it goes about it is quite different. Traditional braces will typically pull or push your teeth using a set of metal wires, brackets, and rubber bands. Invisalign uses clear aligners. In fact, they look like the plastic retainers your teeth will typically wear after traditional treatment.

With that in mind, the clear aligners will slowly push the teeth into place, gradually shifting them. Then, every two weeks or so, a new aligner will be given to keep pressure on the teeth up until everything is aligned. After this, retainers will typically be provided to keep the teeth straight for the rest of the teen's life.

Wear Time

For an effective treatment, your teen needs to wear the aligners for at least twenty-two hours a day. Within the other two hours of the day, your teen can take it out to eat, play heavy-contact sports, and do other activities.

As you can tell, Invisalign is much more versatile than traditional braces. The fact that they can be removed allows for activities that would otherwise be a hassle to do with metal braces, such as brushing teeth, eating chew and hard food, and so on.

Diet Restrictions

One of the biggest downfalls of wearing metal braces is the fact that there are many things your teen will not be able to eat or at least implored not to eat. Things like steak, hard candies, and such can easily break traditional braces. Fortunately, this isn't a problem for Invisalign.

As previously mentioned, Invisalign can easily be removed in the 2 hours of leeway. Your teen can still enjoy wonderful food without the tray on.

The Cost of Invisalign

Cost-wise, Invisalign is expected to be more expensive than traditional methods. However, you can get Invisalign treatments that can be as affordable as metal braces if your insurance policy covers them. Just be sure to ask the dentist about the prices, since they can differ depending on the circumstances.

Conclusion

If you still have any other questions about Invisalign before your teen gets them, don't be afraid to ask the dentist. Any questions from what to do if your teen loses the tray, down to how long the procedure will take are all viable questions to ask. After all, you're a concerned parent who only wants the best for their children. A good dentist will do their best to fill you with all the answers you need.

Dental House MI is a dental practice in Ann Arbor, offering various dental services covering preventive dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and more. Learn more about Invisalign with us today!