As your providers of orthodontics in Bethesda and Laurel, we’ve made it our goal here at Heller Orthodontics to supply all of our adolescent patients with the most comfortable orthodontic treatments around. We understand that orthodontic treatment can be a long process that requires plenty of effort, which is why we’re always here to help make it as convenient as possible. Teenagers can have hectic lifestyles so if you’re looking for a treatment that will fit in well with a busy schedule, your Laurel and Bethesda orthodontist recommends considering Invisalign Teen.
What Is Invisalign?
While traditional braces utilize visible metal wires and brackets to shift a patient’s teeth, Invisalign uses plastic, removable aligners. Even with the differences, Invisalign works in a very similar way – it applies constant, light force to move the teeth into their optimal positions. As indicated by its name, one of the biggest features of this treatment is that it’s practically invisible! These aligners are made of clear polyurethane plastic, meaning that others won’t even be able to tell that you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment! Additionally, this treatment has become wildly popular because unlike with braces, a patient can continue eating all of the foods that he or she loves and oral hygiene remains as simple as ever.
A Treatment Just for Teens
Previously Invisalign was only meant for adults. This was because younger patients have teeth that are still erupting, which can potentially disrupt the precise planning of the tooth movement. Also, there was a concern among many orthodontists that teenagers wouldn’t wear their aligners as often as they were recommended.
Now with Invisalign Teen, none of that’s a problem! Invisalign Teen comes with eruption tabs. These tabs reserve space for teeth that haven’t yet erupted, making sure that they won’t interfere with the orthodontic treatment. Also, Invisalign Teen comes with compliance indicators – colored dots on the back of the aligners that fade away if a patient has been wearing his or her aligners as intended. These fantastic additions have made Invisalign Teen just as viable of a solution for teens as it is for adults.
The Invisalign Teen Process
Getting started with Invisalign in Laurel and Bethesda is a simple process that works as follows:
- You’ll first receive a series of aligners from us. This is typically somewhere between 18 and 30 sets of aligners.
- You’ll wear each set of aligners for 10 to 12 days in their designated order.
- It’s important for you to leave them in for about 22 hours each day, only taking them out for eating, cleaning your teeth, and other important occasions.
- You should visit your orthodontist in Laurel and Bethesda once every eight or so weeks so that we can make sure that the treatment is progressing properly.
- This treatment will continue for about six-to-15 months and it will end when you’ve finished wearing the last set of aligners.
Contact Your Orthodontist in Laurel and Bethesda!
Do you have any questions about our Laurel and Bethesda Invisalign Teen treatment? We encourage you to contact us and let us know. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Heller, feel free to fill out our appointment request form. We hope to hear from you and provide you with a more convenient orthodontic treatment!