At Children’s Dental Specialties, we provide Invisalign clear aligners as an alternative to traditional braces. Typically, teenagers around 12 to 13 benefit from Invisalign in our Worcester, MA, office. Our orthodontics services include treatment for overbites, underbites, crossbites, crooked teeth, and more.
Treatment works with a series of Invisalign aligners that apply light pressure to each tooth. Each set of aligners is different, gradually shifting teeth into a straighter position. Invisalign can create straight, balanced smiles.
Why Straighten Crooked Teeth?
If your child has gaps between teeth, crooked teeth, or overcrowding, they may need braces or Invisalign. Straightening crooked teeth can improve the look of their smile. However, straightening teeth is essential to improving your child’s dental health.
Crooked and misaligned teeth are hard to clean. Patients of all ages can have trouble brushing or flossing between crooked teeth. Harmful bacteria in hard-to-reach areas can increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Crooked teeth also often lead to bite problems, creating an uneven bite. An uneven bite can put pressure on some teeth more than others. This can wear down the teeth over time.
Straightening teeth creates an even bite and makes brushing and flossing teeth and gums simpler. We recommend contacting our office if you or your teen want a straighter, aligned smile.
What are the Benefits of Invisalign?
Compared to traditional braces, Invisalign in our Worcester, MA office provides more benefits. Many advantages to Invisalign for patients who want a straighter, more balanced smile:
- Clear appearance: Invisalign uses clear aligners, which are less noticeable than metal braces that use colorful rubber bands. Many teenagers enjoy the benefit of Invisalign because treatment does not distract from their smiles.
- Removable: Patients can remove their Invisalign aligners to eat and drink. Invisalign SmartTrack® material makes it easy to remove aligners with minimal discomfort.
- Shorter treatment: Invisalign offers shorter treatment times than metal braces. This is because Invisalign treats mild to moderate dental problems. On average, Invisalign treatment takes twelve or more months to complete.
- Comfortable care: Metal braces have wires that can poke and injure your gums. Invisalign braces are contoured to the smile. Patients may only feel discomfort as they get used to each new pair of aligners. This is normal, as Invisalign adds gentle pressure to the teeth.
Invisalign can be a good option for teenagers who want a less noticeable option than metal braces. Metal braces use brackets, wires, and colorful elastics. Many teens want invisible aligners to attract less attention to their smiles.
Invisalign in Worcester, MA
We use dental X-rays and 3-D imaging to plan Invisalign treatment. Before treatment, we take dental X-rays to determine if Invisalign is the proper treatment for the patient. We will examine crooked teeth, tooth gaps, and similar problems. Invisalign is best for patients with mild to moderate orthodontic issues.
When we determine that Invisalign suits the patient, we will take intraoral scans of the smile. These scans create a 3-D model of the teeth and gums. We send this model to a dental lab that makes a series of Invisalign aligners.
Once complete, you return to our office, where we fit the first set of aligners over your teeth. We will send you home with multiple pairs of aligners and the case.
You will switch your aligners for a new pair every 1-2 weeks during your treatment. We will recommend visits throughout Invisalign treatment so we can monitor progress. During these visits, we ensure the aligners fit correctly and that you are on track to completing your treatment.
It can take twelve or more months to complete Invisalign treatment. Treatment time depends on how you care for your aligners and how long you wear them daily. Completing Invisalign will also take longer if you have more moderate alignment problems.
Invisalign for Teens vs. Adults
The Invisalign treatment for teenagers differs from adult Invisalign treatment in multiple ways. Invisalign aligners for teenagers include blue dots on the back of each aligner. This blue dot can change from blue to white depending on how long the patient wears their aligners.
We recommend patients wear their aligners for 20-22 hours daily. Patients can remove their aligners to eat and drink. However, we do not recommend leaving them off their teeth for many hours or a whole day. Teeth can take longer to straighten if patients do not wear their aligners consistently.
Invisalign treatment for teens will also include more replacement aligners. Sometimes, teenagers can forget or lose their aligners; extra aligners keep them on track. Teen Invisalign treatment can also allow adult teeth to emerge for patients who do not have all of their permanent teeth yet.
How to Keep Teeth Straight
Once your child completes Invisalign in our Worcester, MA office, we will provide them with retainers. These appliances are similar to Invisalign. However, they keep your child’s teeth straight. We will custom-make retainers to fit their straight teeth.
Let us know if your child loses or damages their retainers. We will work to provide them with a replacement as soon as possible.
Wearing retainers will prevent orthodontic relapse, which occurs when the teeth return to their previous positions. This problem may only lead to slightly crooked teeth or small tooth gaps, but your child may need more dental care over time.
We recommend that your child wear retainers constantly at first, then only at night. Retainers are clear and discreet, like Invisalign aligners. Your child can care for their retainers like they care for their Invisalign aligners. They can soak their retainers in retainer cleaner or use mild liquid soap and water to clean them twice a day.
Invisalign FAQs
Discover more about Invisalign in Worcester, MA, with these commonly asked questions:
What if I forget to wear my aligners?
If you forget to wear your Invisalign aligners, don’t worry. As soon as you remember, put your aligners back in right away. The more you wear them, the better they work.
If you forget to wear your aligners for a whole day, check with us. Don’t skip to the next set of aligners unless we tell you to. Sticking to your plan ensures your teeth move correctly.
Can I play sports with Invisalign?
If you’re playing a contact sport, like football or soccer, it’s best to take out your aligners. This will help prevent any injuries to your mouth if you get hit. If you do take out your aligners, make sure to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth. You can talk to your dentist about getting a custom mouthguard that fits over your teeth without the aligners.
Will Invisalign hurt?
When you first put in a new set of aligners, you might feel pressure on your teeth. This is normal and means the aligners are working to move your teeth.
Some people experience mild soreness or discomfort for a few days after changing to a new set of aligners. This usually goes away quickly as your teeth adjust. After you wear the aligners for a little while, you’ll get used to them, and the discomfort will likely decrease.
How often do I need to change my aligners?
Depending on your treatment plan, you usually need to change your Invisalign aligners every one to two weeks. We will give you a specific schedule for when to change your aligners. Stick to that schedule for the best results.
When it’s time to switch to a new set, your teeth have moved enough to need a different aligner to continue the straightening process. Keep track of when to change your aligners. You can set reminders on your phone or write it down to help you remember.
What do I do if I lose my Invisalign aligners?
If we gave you extra aligners to use while waiting for replacements, put one of those in right away. Call us as soon as you can. We can help you figure out what to do next and may recommend getting a new aligner made. Do not skip to the next set of aligners unless we tell you to. We want you to follow your treatment plan.
If you still have your current aligners, wear them until you get a replacement. To avoid losing your aligners in the future, always store them in their case when you take them out, and try to keep them in a safe place.
What is the failure rate for Invisalign?
Invisalign has a low failure rate. However, it might not work as well for everyone if patients do not wear the aligners for at least 20-22 hours a day. If you don’t wear the aligners consistently, your teeth may not move as expected.
Changing aligners too soon or skipping aligners can cause problems. Also, some teeth and jaw issues may be more complicated and might not respond as well to Invisalign alone. If you’re worried about how your treatment is going, we can help you understand your progress and make any necessary adjustments.
Who is a bad candidate for Invisalign?
Not everyone is a good candidate for Invisalign. First, if you have serious problems with your bite, like an overbite or underbite that is very severe, Invisalign might not be the best option. Traditional braces may work better in these cases.
Invisalign requires you to wear the aligners for 20-22 hours daily and change them as scheduled. If you think you won’t stick to this plan, it might not be your right choice. In addition, if you grind your teeth a lot, this can damage the aligners. We may suggest other options if this is the case.
Is Invisalign faster than braces?
Invisalign can be faster than traditional braces, but it depends on the individual case. On average, Invisalign treatment can take about 6 to 18 months, while traditional braces often take 1 to 3 years. However, some cases might be faster with braces, especially if there are complex bite issues.
With Invisalign, you need to wear the aligners for 20-22 hours a day to see good results. If you follow the plan, you might finish quicker. But if you don’t wear them enough, it could take longer.
The speed of treatment also depends on how much your teeth need to move. If your case is simple, Invisalign might work faster. But if you have more complex issues, braces might be more effective.
Straighten Your Crooked Teeth
Are you looking for an alternative to metal braces for your child? Ask us about Invisalign in our Worcester, MA office. Contact our dental office today at (508) 625-5534. You can also make a dental appointment with our team online.
Let us know if you have any questions for our office. We’re here to help you.