Invisalign® for Teens Portland, OR
For many teens, how they look matters. They can put much thought into choosing just the right clothes and styling their hair just right. No matter, if they are headed to school or they, are going to hang out with their friends, their appearance is important. Their smile plays an integral role in their appearance. Having crooked teeth can significantly impact their smile, as well as affect how they look to those around them. While braces can effectively solve crooked teeth, the idea of having a shiny metal smile can be rather off-putting. At Sylvan Heights Dental, we can provide your teen with a more discreet treatment with Invisalign®.
The Trouble with Traditional Braces
Traditional metal braces may be an effective and popular treatment for correcting tooth alignment, but they do have some significant drawbacks. One of the biggest drawbacks, particularly for older teens, is that they stand out. The metal brackets and wires stick out against the whiteness of the teeth. When your teen smiles, that is all others will see. Chances are that your teen does not want to look back at old photographs, whether the school yearbook or on social media, and see themselves with a shiny metal smile.
There are a few other drawbacks to metal braces. They limit what your teen can eat. They can make oral hygiene more difficult. They can also rub against the intraoral tissues, causing painful sores.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is an alternative orthodontic treatment. Instead of brackets and wires, Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners to correct tooth alignment. The aligners sit over the teeth much like a sports mouth guard. The rigid plastic helps to gently guide the teeth into the proper alignment. When placed on the teeth, they practically disappear. No one will be able to tell that your teen is wearing them.
Instead of being fixed in place, Invisalign aligners are removable. Your teen can take them out to eat and to brush their teeth. This means that they can enjoy all of their favorite foods, even when out with their friends, and they can more thoroughly clean their teeth every day. While removable, however, the aligners should be worn 20 to 22 hours every day to ensure optimal results.
How Invisalign Works
Treatment with Invisalign involves a series of aligners. Each set is made to be worn for two weeks at a time. As your teen changes their aligners, their teeth are guided into proper placement. Depending upon the severity of the misalignment, your teen may require anywhere from 18 to 30 sets. We create the aligners from digital impressions of their mouth. This ensures that we create custom aligners that provide your teen with the best results. Specialized software allows us to see every step of the treatment, including what their smile will look like when treatment is complete. After their Invisalign treatment is complete, your teen will be provided with a retainer.
What Benefits Does Invisalign Offer My Teen?
There are many benefits associated with Invisalign.
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Treatment is much more discreet.
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The aligners are removable. Your teen can eat all of their favorite food throughout their treatment. They can also brush and floss their teeth as normal.
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Your teen has fewer office visits to worry about. They will be provided with several sets of aligners. Fewer visits mean less disruption in their, and your, busy schedule.
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Your teen gets results faster. Treatment with Invisalign typically takes less time than traditional braces. In many cases, treatment can be completed in less than a year. |
Invisalign provides a much more discreet orthodontic treatment for your teen, allowing them to improve the quality of their smile without others taking notice. For more information, and to schedule an appointment for your teen, call Sylvan Heights Dental today at (503) 297-1471.
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