How healthy are your teeth? Although many people are quick to underestimate their dental health, the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of different elements that play into overall dental wellness. From how often you brush and floss to how regularly you attend regular checkups, it is important to stay in close communication with your dentist, especially if you come down with a new symptom. The purpose of this website is to help people to understand and resolve dental issues, since small symptoms can lead to big problems down the road. Check out these posts to learn more about dental care.
Does your teenager need braces, but they really don't want to have the traditional type with metal brackets on their teeth? They may be asking for Invisalign as a way to make their braces less noticeable. While Invisalign is an option for your teenager, it is important to consider the following things before you make a decision:
Invisalign Can Help With Confidence
One of the reasons that your teen may be asking for Invisalign is because of the social stigma that comes with wearing braces. They may be afraid of what other people will think of them by having those metal brackets showing all the time. They may be worried about how traditional braces will affect their speech, since it takes some time to adjust to wearing traditional braces that take up more space in the mouth. These types of problems will not be an issue with Invisalign. The braces are nearly invisible and won't take up any additional room in the mouth, so there is very little to adjust to when wearing Invisalign braces.
Invisalign Can Help With Sports
If your teen plays sports in high school, especially a contact sport, they may have concerns with traditional braces cutting their inner cheek if they get hit. This is not a problem with Invisalign, since the aligner trays are very thin. If there is a problem where they are hit in the face, there won't be damage caused by metal brackets rubbing up against soft tissue in the mouth.
Invisalign Can Help With Band Class
Anybody that plays an instrument in band may have concerns about how braces are going to affect their performance. After all, braces are worn for a long time, which can be a significant portion of their high school band experience. Traditional braces are problematic for those that play a brass instrument, and take some adjustment for those that play woodwind instruments. However, this is not a problem with Invisalign. They'll be able to jump back into playing their instruments as if they were not wearing anything at all.
Invisalign Can Be Removed
One problem with Invisalign is that the trays can be removed at any time. If they are not worn for almost the entire day, the treatment can take longer and not be effective. If you do not trust your teen to leave the plastic trays in their mouth for the entire day, you may end up having a problem with using Invisalign. Make sure they understand the requirements of wearing the removable trays so their treatment goes smoothly.