Invisalign (Align Technology) has announced a new product for teenagers called Invisalign Teen for non-adult, comprehensive orthodontic treatment. Walton Orthodontics, a board certified Invisalign braces orthodontist, has been using the Invisalign adult system with great success since 2001. It was first introduced in 1999 as another tool for orthodontists to correct malocclusions (bad bites) and align “crooked teeth” in a truly innovative way without the use of traditional braces and wires. Invisalign straightens teeth using a series of clear, nearly invisible, removable appliances (aligners) that gently move teeth to a desired final position. The advantages of Invisalign over braces and veneers (Instant Orthodontics) are undeniable when you factor in the pain and discomfort associated with braces and the permanent removal (filing down or grinding) of healthy tooth enamel and the commitment to a lifelong schedule of periodic replacement of veneers.

It is so popular because it is nearly impossible to tell anything is being worn on the teeth and it is virtually free of the discomfort issues associated with traditional braces. Originally, Invisalign was designed for patients with a fully erupted adult dentition (no baby teeth present). Younger, growing patients typically were not good candidates for Invisalign due to concerns about patient compliance and ongoing development of the permanent dentition.

Invisalign Teen gives orthodontists the ability to offer comprehensive orthodontic treatment to their non-adult patients by addressing previous concerns of patient compliance and dentition challenges (erupting 2nd molars) common in teen patients. With this product, teenagers get clear, removable aligners that will straighten their teeth without the hassle, discomfort, and embarrassment of traditional braces that will also fit into their busy schedules and give them the ease and flexibility to remove the aligners for sports, music lessons and for meals at school or on the go.

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New Enhancements Incorporated Into Invisalign Teen:

Aligners come with embedded compliance indicators that provide a visual cue of patient wear and compliance for the doctor and parents to monitor.

• Aligners can now accommodate for erupting teeth (teeth that are not in yet or partially in) along with specially engineered “eruption tabs” to compensate for erupting second molars.

• A new feature called “Power Ridges” are incorporated into aligners designed to help achieve certain difficult tooth movements.

What Parents Need To Know About Invisalign For Teens:

• The compliance indicators located on the upper aligner help you gauge the approximate amount of time your teen spends wearing the product.

• Aligners are most effective when worn 20 to 22 hours per day – and removed only for eating, brushing, and flossing. Each set of aligners is worn for approximately two weeks.

• Lost or broken aligners can be replaced easily in a matter of a few days, in most cases.

• If your child is 18 years old, ask your orthodontist for the most appropriate product to use i.e. the Invisalign adult product or Invisalign Teen. Your child may benefit from some features of the Invisalign Teen product even though they may be a candidate for the Invisalign adult product.

• The benefits of Invisalign Adult and Invisalign Teen are the same. Invisalign Teen differs from Invisalign Adult only by the three new features (listed above) designed specifically for the needs or the type of dentition found in the teen age-group.

• Invisalign Teen requires very little adjustment or maintenance by the doctor. Appointments will be very limited in time and will usually be scheduled every six weeks to check on treatment progress and to provide your child with their next three sets of aligners.

• In the hands of a skilled and experienced practitioner and when worn as instructed, Invisalign Teen can be as effective as traditional braces for many types of treatment. See an orthodontic specialist.

• Since aligners can be removed for eating and brushing teeth, it is much easier to maintain proper oral hygiene than it is with traditional metal braces. It also eliminates other common problems associated with traditional braces such as decalcification of teeth, office visits for broken braces, poking wire emergencies, and the like.

Walton Orthodontics - Alpharetta Orthodontist

Alpharetta, Georgia