Often, our teenage patients feel less than thrilled to undergo treatment with metal braces. We understand, as this makes major changes to their smile’s appearance during the treatment process. However, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist may be able to offer a practically invisible alternative with the Invisalign® system.
Addressing Misalignment and Protecting Oral Health
Poor alignment obviously impacts the esthetics of your smile and can cause embarrassment. However, did you know that having crooked, crowded, and overlapping teeth could also lead to issues with your overall oral health? For some, uneven teeth provide places for food particles to become lodged. Even brushing and flossing could fail to remove them, leaving them for bacteria to break down, a process that coats the teeth in plaque and increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. For others, poor alignment could strain the jaw joints and impact oral structures, increasing the risk of TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding) and in rare cases, even increasing the risk of sleep apnea. By addressing these issues in your child’s teen years, we help them enter adulthood with a straighter smile and better oral health.
Creating Invisalign® Aligners
First, we will perform a detailed examination employing digital technology. We want to assess the cause and severity of the misalignment to see if this is the best choice for your child. If so, then we will use the iTero® digital scanning system to gather a digital impression. This allows us to design and craft the aligners with accuracy and precision. Each set is designed specifically for your teen’s smile, so they fit comfortably and help move the teeth into more optimal positions. The patient will wear a set for about two weeks, 20 to 22 hours a day. Afterward, they move on to the next in the series, with total treatment taking between a year and 18 months, depending in the extent of the misalignment.
The Benefits of Removable Braces
Not only are they nearly invisible, but they can be removed before meals. No need to alter diets or worry about food becoming stuck in orthodontics either. Being removable also makes brushing and flossing much easier, allowing your teen to enjoy better oral health throughout the treatment process. If you have any questions about correcting uneven smiles with Invisalign®, then contact our team today.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TEEN ORTHODONTICS?
Our team wants to help teens (and adults) enjoy more even and healthy smiles with clear aligner treatment. To learn more about treatments for teenage patients, then please call Lake Country Orthodontics in Fort Worth, TX at (817) 236-7846. Our office proudly serves patients who live in White Settlement, North Fort Worth, and all surrounding communities.
