At Children’s Dental Specialties, we offer Invisalign clear aligners as a comfortable, discreet way to straighten your child’s teeth. This orthodontic service can treat overbites, underbites, crossbites, crooked teeth, and more. But what makes Invisalign treatment different is that your child’s care is provided by a complete team of specialists.
Dr. Daniel Moheban, our board-certified pediatric dentist, works alongside our Harvard-trained orthodontists, Dr. Menachem Roth and Dr. Roberto Carvalho. This means your child gets comprehensive care from experts who understand growing smiles and can help them achieve a smile they will feel proud to show off.
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 important 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 easier. We recommend contacting our office if you or your teen wants a straighter smile.
What are the Benefits of Invisalign?
Invisalign provides more benefits than traditional braces. Many patients prefer this treatment for its discreet and comfortable aligners. Some benefits of Invisalign in our Worcester, MA, dentist office include:
- Clear appearance: Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners that fit snugly over the teeth. Unlike braces that use brackets, wires, and colorful rubber bands, these aligners are much harder to notice. Many teenagers and adults enjoy this benefit because it allows them to improve their smile without feeling self-conscious.
- Removable: One of the biggest advantages of Invisalign is that patients can remove their aligners to eat, drink, or brush. This means no food restrictions, unlike braces that make certain snacks off-limits. Invisalign aligners are made with SmartTrack® material that’s easy to insert and remove with minimal discomfort.
- Shorter treatment: Invisalign is often faster than traditional braces for patients with mild-to-moderate alignment issues. On average, treatment can be completed in twelve or more months. It’s a great choice for many patients who want quicker results.
- Comfortable care: Metal braces can sometimes irritate patients as wires may poke the cheeks or gums. Invisalign aligners are smooth and contoured to fit comfortably. While patients may feel some pressure when switching to a new set of aligners, this is normal and shows that the teeth are gently moving into place.
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.
Your Child’s Invisalign Treatment in Worcester, MA
Here is a simple guide to what you can expect during your child’s Invisalign treatment at our office:
Consultation
Your child will meet with Dr. Moheban and our orthodontic team for a comprehensive exam. We will evaluate their teeth, bite, and jaw alignment to determine if Invisalign is the right choice.
Digital Impressions and Treatment Plan
We use a comfortable intraoral scanner to create a 3D model of your child’s teeth. This means no goopy, messy putty. The scan is quick, comfortable, and accurate.
Using the 3D model, our orthodontists create a personalized treatment plan. You will be able to see a preview of your child’s new smile before treatment even begins. This is a great way to get excited about the results!
Receiving the Aligners
Once the aligners are ready, your child will return to our office to receive their first set. We will explain how to wear and care for the aligners. Then we’ll give you a schedule for when to change to the next set.
Check-Ups
We will schedule follow-up visits every 6-8 weeks to monitor progress. Our orthodontists will make sure everything is on track and answer any questions.
Retainers
After treatment is complete, we will provide your child with custom-made retainers. Retainers are essential for keeping their new smile in place.
Invisalign for Teens vs. Adults
The Invisalign treatment for teenagers differs from adult Invisalign treatment in multiple ways. First, 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. It’s a helpful tool for parents and teens to track compliance.
Invisalign Teen 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 don’t have all their permanent teeth yet.
How to Keep Teeth Straight
Once your child completes Invisalign in our Worcester, MA office, we’ll provide them with retainers. These appliances are similar to Invisalign but keep your child’s teeth straight. We custom-make retainers to fit your child’s newly straightened teeth.
Let us know if your child loses or damages their retainers. We’ll 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.
Patient Review
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you want to know more about Invisalign for teens? We can help. Learn more with answers to common questions about Invisalign in Worcester, MA.
What if my child forgets to wear their aligners?
Put them back in as soon as you remember. If they forget for a whole day, check in with us. Do not skip to the next set of aligners unless we tell you to.
Can I play sports with Invisalign?
You want to remove your aligners before you play a contact sport, like football or soccer. 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 our 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 does my child need to change their aligners?
Depending on your treatment plan, we recommend changing to a new set of Invisalign aligners every one to two weeks. We’ll give you a specific schedule for the best results. When it’s time to switch to a new set, the teeth have moved enough to need a different aligner to continue the straightening process.
What do I do if my child loses Invisalign aligners?
If we gave you extra aligners to use while waiting for replacements, have your child 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. Don’t let your child skip to the next set of aligners unless we tell you to. If your teen has their current aligners, they need to wear them until we provide a replacement.
What is the failure rate for Invisalign?
Invisalign has a low failure rate. But it might not work as well if your child doesn’t wear the aligners for at least 20 to 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 also cause problems. 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 your child has serious bite problems, such as a very severe overbite or underbite, Invisalign might not be the best option. Traditional braces may work better in these cases.
Invisalign requires patients to wear the aligners for 20-22 hours daily and change them as scheduled. If you think your child won’t stick to this plan, it might not be the right choice. 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 each individual case. On average, Invisalign treatment can take about 6 to 18 months, while traditional braces often take 1 to 3 years. However, some patients may have quicker treatment with braces if they have complex bite issues.
Ready to Explore Invisalign 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.
We serve families in Worcester, Shrewsbury, Grafton, Northborough, and Boylston. We can’t wait to help your child achieve a smile they will love!