invisalign® Teen in Central TX

The teen years can often be an uncertain, awkward period in a person's life — yet is most commonly the ideal time for orthodontic intervention. To help teens get orthodontic treatment without the embarrassment of wearing metal braces, ACE Dental of Texas is pleased to offer Invisalign Teen. This advanced system utilizes custom clear teeth aligners to move the teeth into their proper locations, improving the appearance of the smile while addressing common orthodontic issues. While similar to the adult version, Invisalign Teen aligners feature eruption tabs, compliance indicators, and substitute aligners to meet the unique needs of patients in this age group. If your child is anxious about metal braces but still needs orthodontic care, schedule a visit with our certified Invisalign dentists to learn more about the option of Invisalign Teen.

What sets Invisalign Teen apart from Invisalign? Many parents are concerned about giving their teens the responsibility of removable aligners for their orthodontic therapy. To help keep your teen on course with their orthodontic care, Invisalign Teen includes three special features to help guide them to a straight smile:

• Compliance indicators: There is a colored dot on the rear portion of each aligner that fades with use, allowing our team to know if the aligners are being worn as needed to accomplish treatment goals. This can keep teens accountable for using their aligners 20 – 22 hours daily and help them to stay on schedule. It is important for your teen to understand that noncompliance will prolong treatment time.
• Eruption tabs: In some cases, teens are ready for orthodontic care before all of their molars have fully erupted. The makers of Invisalign offer the option to have eruption tabs added to each aligner, leaving space for the molars to emerge. This feature allows the teeth to erupt in the correct place without crowding other teeth.
• Extra replacement aligners: We plan for mishaps and missing aligners by adding six replacement aligners into your adolescent's treatment plan. Accidents happen, and we all misplace items sometimes. Please contact our practice if your teen has any issues or requires a replacement aligner.

Younger patients with complex orthodontic conditions, such as crooked or crowded teeth, teeth separated by spaces, and narrow arches, may be good candidates for Invisalign Teen. This advanced orthodontic treatment can also be ideal for addressing concerns, like an overbite, underbite, open bite, and crossbite. Invisalign Teen is especially valuable for teenagers who are active in sports or who play musical instruments, decreasing the risk of injury that may occur during these activities when metal braces are in place. Teens who feel self-conscious about wearing traditional braces may also make excellent candidates for this clear aligner system.

During your teenager's treatment consultation, our Invisalign dentists will discuss treatment objectives, how they feel about using an orthodontic appliance, and what is to be expected throughout the course of care. To begin, our team will use advanced iTero digital technology to take comfortable impressions of your teen's mouth. Using these images, the Invisalign lab will customize a series of removable clear aligners trays to meet your teen's unique orthodontic needs. When the trays are ready, we will have your teen return to try them and learn how to care for the trays. In general, your teen will need to wear the mouth trays for 20 – 22 hours each day, only taking them out when eating or drinking and to brush or floss the teeth.

Teen patients will have follow-up appointments every few weeks. During these visits, our team will monitor their improvement and evaluate the compliance indicators on the trays. Your teenager will have the ability to floss and brush without the obstacle of metal braces but will need to maintain good oral hygiene habits each day. While treatment timing varies for each individual, the time spent in Invisalign is generally between 1 – 2 years. Once your teen's orthodontic treatment is complete, we will take a new impression and have a Vivera® Invisalign retainer made of the same clear, comfortable material. Wearing a retainer as recommended can help maintain your child's orthodontic results as they continue to grow and develop.

Orthodontic treatments, like Invisalign Teen, may be covered in part by some dental insurance policies. To learn about your teen's coverage, we will contact your provider to review your family's benefits before calculating out-of-pocket costs. ACE Dental wants all patients in our community to get the straight, healthy smile they deserve. We accept a number of convenient payment choices and will be happy to help you apply for flexible financing plans.

Many teens long for a picture-perfect grin but may feel uneasy about wearing metal braces. At ACE Dental of Texas, our certified Invisalign dentists are pleased to offer the discreet option of Invisalign Teen and would love to help your family members achieve beautiful, healthy smiles. Get in touch with one of our convenient office locations today and schedule an Invisalign consultation for your teen!