When is a teenager ready for Invisalign?
Once the permanent teeth are in. The plan is built around the teeth that are there on the day of the scan, so it makes sense to wait until the baby teeth have gone and the adult teeth have come through. When that happens varies from one child to the next, and we can tell you where your teenager is at a regular cleaning and exam.
Readiness is about the teenager as much as the teeth. One who wants straighter teeth and will look after something small and easy to lose is a good candidate. One who is being talked into it may do better with braces, which keep working whether or not anybody remembers them.
Wear time is the whole game
Aligners work only while they are in. The target is about 22 hours a day: out to eat, out to brush, and in the rest of the time, including overnight. An aligner that spends the afternoon in a backpack is not moving anything, and a series that is not worn falls behind the plan, which means more time in treatment, not less.
That is the honest trade with braces. Braces cannot be taken out, which is both their drawback and their strength. Aligners give a teenager freedom and responsibility at the same time. For the full comparison, see Invisalign compared with braces, and for each step of treatment, how Invisalign works.
Sports, instruments and photos
Being able to take the aligners out is the part teenagers like. They can come out for a game, a band concert or school pictures, and go back in afterward. Put them in the case every time, not in a pocket or wrapped in a napkin on a lunch tray.
An aligner is not a mouthguard. For contact sports, take the aligners out and wear a proper mouthguard, then put the aligners back in when the game is over. Some players of wind instruments also find it easier to play with the aligners out.
The rule is simple: out for the activity, back in as soon as it is over. The trouble starts when out for the game becomes out for the evening.
What if an aligner is lost or broken?
Call us. Do not wait for the next check-up, and do not skip ahead through the series on your own. Depending on where your teenager is in the plan, we will tell you whether to go back to the previous aligner or on to the next one while it is sorted out.
Keep each previous aligner in a case until you are told it can go. It is the backup that holds the teeth where they should be if the current one goes missing.
Keeping aligners and teeth clean
Brush after eating and before the aligners go back in. Food trapped under an aligner sits against the teeth for hours, and that is how decay starts. Plain water is fine with the aligners in. Soda, sports drinks and juice are not.
Clean the aligners too: rinse them when they come out, and brush them gently with a soft toothbrush and cool water. Hot water can warp the plastic. Regular check-ups carry on as normal during treatment, because aligners do nothing to stop a cavity.
The parent's role
In practice, the parent is the backup memory. That does not mean nagging about every hour. It means knowing where the case lives, noticing when the aligners come out for dinner and do not go back in, and making sure check-ups are kept.
It also means an honest conversation before starting. If your teenager is not keen, or you already suspect the aligners would live in a pocket, braces from an orthodontist may be the better choice, and we will tell you so. What Invisalign costs explains how the fee is worked out, and insurance lists the plans we work with.
Questions patients ask
At what age can a teenager start Invisalign?
There is no single age. It depends on when the permanent teeth have come in, which varies from child to child. We can tell you where your teenager is at a regular check-up.
Can my teenager play sports with Invisalign?
Yes. The aligners come out for the game and go back in afterward. They are not a mouthguard, so wear a proper mouthguard for contact sports and keep the aligners in their case in the meantime.
What happens if my teenager loses an aligner?
Call us rather than waiting for the next visit. We will tell you whether to wear the previous aligner or move to the next one while it is sorted out. Keeping the previous aligner in its case makes this much easier.
Is Invisalign or braces better for a teenager?
Neither is better for everyone. Aligners come out for meals, sports and photos, but they only work if they are worn about 22 hours a day. Braces cannot be forgotten, which suits some teenagers better, and some bites need them.