More than 6 million teenagers have straightened their teeth using Invisalign®. It’s an exceptional, desirable, successful orthodontic treatment — as long as your teen sticks with the plan.
Unlike traditional braces, users need to remove Invisalign aligners before eating and brushing. That means the responsibility of straightening teeth partially shifts from the orthodontist to your teenager, and a little help from you when needed.
Kenn Kakosian, DDS, PhD, is an Invisalign-certified diamond provider and a certified Invisalign Teen® specialist. Over the years, he and our team at DentAlign NYC in Midtown East, Manhattan, New York, have come up with some handy tips for parents and their teens to ensure that they get the most out of their treatment.
Here are six ways to help ensure your child’s Invisalign treatment achieves a gorgeous, bright smile:
Encourage your child to stick to a routine to optimize their Invisalign treatment, aiming for consistency without micromanaging your teenager. Help them track the amount of time they wear their clear aligner trays — which should be about 20-22 hours daily. You can suggest that they use a daily planner or calendar to track hours worn.
Aligners also contain a blue compliance dot that fades when your teenager wears them enough, making it easier for you to monitor their wear time progress.
Gently remind your teenager to avoid placing Invisalign aligners in pockets or on food trays at school during lunch time. Doing so can lead to damaged aligners or accidentally throwing them away with uneaten food.
Encourage your teen to carry the protective Invisalign case with them to store the aligners during mealtimes and when brushing when they’re not at home.
Some things to consider packing in your teen’s oral hygiene kit include a travel-size toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, and small bottle of mouthwash in addition to a sturdy aligner case.
Having this kit handy makes it easier to keep them on track with brushing after lunch before placing the aligners back in their mouth at school or when traveling. Keeping teeth and aligners clean helps them maintain fresh breath and minimize plaque buildup.
If your teenager plays sports, especially contact sports, they should have a custom mouthguard to protect their teeth. Remind them that they shouldn’t wear their Invisalign aligners during these activities, as doing so could damage the trays.
The DentAlign NYC team can show your teen good techniques and best practices for keeping their aligners clean. You can help them plan ahead for overnight stays and travel by ensuring their kit always has enough cleaning supplies.
Also, using Invisalign cleaning crystals or tablets helps prevent discoloration, keeping your child’s smile bright during their treatment.
Ensure your teenager’s Invisalign treatment success by maintaining their regularly scheduled appointments with Dr. Kakosian. They might visit with him every 6-12 weeks, though this varies from patient to patient.
You might have the option of completing some appointments virtually using Invisalign® Virtual Care tools, which allow Dr. Kakosian to review photos submitted via the My Invisalign™ app versus completing in-person visits.
Dr. Kakosian meets with you and your teenager to determine which orthodontic treatment is the best suited for their needs. Many patients prefer Invisalign for teeth straightening instead of traditional braces because the aligners are smooth, clear, removable, discrete, and don’t require bulky brackets or wires.
If you have questions about using Invisalign or you want to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kakosian, contact DentAlign NYC by phone or online today.
