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How Often Do I Have To Wear My Aligners?
For the absolute best results, your teen should expect to wear their aligners for as long as possible every day – meaning around 22 hours or more. Really, the only times they should be taking the aligners out at all involves whenever they’re having a meal and whenever they’re brushing their teeth (and taking care of the aligners themselves). At all other times, those aligners should be in their mouth to make sure that treatment can continue without delay.
Is There Anything That I Cannot Eat While Using Invisalign?
This is one reason why people like Invisalign clear plastic aligners so much to begin with: there are absolutely no dietary restrictions to speak of. This is because the aligners can be easily removed from your mouth before a meal, allowing you to enjoy whatever you want, at which point you can then put them back in again when you’re done. Just be sure to brush and floss your teeth before you put the aligners back in, of course.
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
The answer to this question will vary pretty heavily depending on the patient, as certain types of issues simply take a longer time to correct than others. No two patients are created equally, so while one person may be out of Invisalign after a year, another person may need an additional six months.
Don’t worry, Dr. Wilson will go over all of this with you well in advance so that you know exactly what to expect from your treatment. Having said all of that, most people can expect to be in Invisalign clear plastic aligners for a period of between one and two years.
How Does Invisalign Teen Work?
To best understand how Invisalign Teen works, it’s important to understand what it is acting as an alternative to traditional metal braces.
With traditional braces, a set of small metal brackets are affixed to each tooth in a patient’s mouth. Those brackets are then connected together via two metal wires – one for the top row and one for the bottom row. The strength of that wire and the tension on it is what gently moves the teeth into the desired position over time. This is why people in traditional braces need to make frequent trips to the dentist – the wire needs to be periodically adjusted to make sure that everything is going along exactly as it should be.
With Invisalign Teen, you’re talking about something totally different. Here, a series of clear plastic aligners are constructed by obtaining an iTero digital scan of your teeth – essentially allowing the aligners to act as a “second skin” to your natural teeth. Every few weeks, you swap out one set of aligners for another, and the teeth are moved into the desired position that way.
What Happens If My Teen Loses An Aligner?
If your teen’s aligners get lost or broken, the most important thing to do is not panic. When this happens, we recommend your teen jump ahead to the next set of aligners and use their Chewies as they may feel a bit tight. If you have any questions or issues beyond that please contact our office.
Are There Any Food Restrictions?
As stated, there are no food restrictions at all when using Invisalign because the aligners can be removed at will. Just be sure to brush and floss your teeth before you put them back in again.
How Much Is Invisalign For Teens?
Every patient is different and it is important to create a plan that is just right for you. The cost of your treatment will depend on this custom treatment plan and will vary depending on the length of time and complexity. We can tell you the exact amount once we have seen you for your initial exam and consultation. We offer an array of payment options, family and professional discounts, and flexible financing. It is our goal to remove any and all barriers so you can achieve a beautiful healthy smile.
The Benefits Of Invisalign
Invisalign has many advantages over braces, including shorter treatment times, an unrestricted diet, and easier brushing and flossing.
If you’re an athlete, you’ll no doubt be pleased to know that you can continue playing sports without worry – just be sure to wear a mouth guard to protect your aligners. Finally, Invisalign clear plastic aligners can easily be removed for a special event – like a graduation or a school dance – so you don’t have anything to worry about there, either.
