Invisalign Teen

What is Invisalign® Teen?

Invisalign Teen is an orthodontic treatment option and an alternative to traditional metal braces. It uses the same tray-based aligner approach as Invisalign, but with the added option of special treatment compliance indicators.

Invisalign can correct many of the same alignment concerns that traditional metal braces treat. There are some cases where metal braces offer a better solution, but you’ll learn which approach is best during your first visit. Because metal braces are affixed directly to the surface of your teeth, they allow certain types of force that aligners can’t achieve. 

What makes Invisalign Teen different?

The primary difference is the ability to add treatment compliance indicators to your teen’s Invisalign aligners. These are small blue dots on the back side of the aligner trays. They can’t be seen while wearing the aligners, and will slowly fade away over the course of two weeks. 

The dots only fade while your aligners are being worn. This means, as the parent, you can simply check your teen’s compliance indicators to make sure the trays are being worn around the clock to make sure treatment is moving forward as planned. 

Is my teen a good option for Invisalign treatment?

Most teens (as well as most adults) are great candidates for Invisalign. That said, it’s important to understand how Invisalign works when considering if this is the right fit for your teen. 

Invisalign trays do a great job slowly shifting your teeth into improved alignment. However, the trays can only do their work while being worn. If your teen removes them too frequently, forgets to put them back in after brushing, or loses them, treatment progress slows. 

It’s perfectly normal for teeth to feel a little sore when switching to a new set of aligners. This is the same sensation that follows having a wire replaced with metal braces. The soreness goes away in a day or two, but teens who can’t bear the minimal discomfort might be tempted to remove the trays or leave them out, which delays the entire alignment process. 

If you and your teen want to learn more about Invisalign Teen, book a visit online or over the phone to get more information. There’s an orthodontic solution for every set of needs, and Impressive Orthodontics is here to help you find your path.