Clear Aligners for Teens
Image and appearance mean everything to teens, clear aligners are a discreet, comfortable way to straighten teeth and maintain a confident smile throughout treatment.
At our cheerful children's dental office in Phoenix, AZ, Dr. Jesse McGuire offers comprehensive orthodontic treatment for kids of all ages, including clear aligners for teens.
How Clear Aligners for Work for Teens
Our clear aligner treatment is similar to Invisalign® because it uses a series of crystal-clear, comfortable plastic aligner trays that apply gentle pressure to teeth to move them into the proper positions. Each set of aligners is customized to achieve certain tooth movements as your teen progresses through treatment.
Teens wear one set of aligner trays for 1–2 weeks, or as recommended by the orthodontist, then switch to the next set. The trays should be worn 22 hours a day and can be removed easily for meals and to brush and floss.
There are no food restrictions with clear aligners as there are with traditional braces, so your teen can continue to enjoy all the foods they love.
Since clear aligners are removable at any time, they work best for disciplined and motivated teens who will follow through and wear them for the required 22 hours per day.
Orthodontic Problems That Clear Aligners Fix
Clear aligner therapy addresses many of the same orthodontic issues as traditional braces, including:
- Crooked teeth
- Crowded teeth
- Gapped teeth
- Teeth spacing issues
- Poor bite conditions (overbite, underbite, open bite, crossbite)
Some orthodontic issues that would make traditional braces a more appropriate choice for teens are severe bite conditions, large gaps between teeth, and severely rotated teeth,
Planning Your Teen's Treatment
The first step is an orthodontic evaluation with Dr. Jesse complete with digital x-rays to see if your teen is a good clear candidate. If so, we move on to the next step, which is treatment planning.
We take comfortable, mess-free digital dental impressions that Dr. Jesse uses with specialized software to create a 3-D virtual model of the teeth. He uses the model to carefully map out each tooth's ideal movement and determine how many sets of aligners are needed to straighten your teen’s smile.
How Clear Aligner Therapy Works
Experienced lab technicians prepare the custom aligner trays according to Dr. Jesse's treatment plan, and we'll instruct your teen to wear them for 22 hours a day for two weeks, then switch to the next set.
Our orthodontist may also use small tooth-colored "buttons" placed under the aligners to apply strategic pressure and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of treatment.
The length of orthodontic treatment is different for each person, but the average times are 12–18 months. It's helpful to occasionally remind your teen that treatment can't progress if they take the aligners out for long periods or try to speed the process by switching them too soon.
We know they can't wait to finish treatment, but there are no shortcuts as we carefully calibrate each aligner to achieve certain tooth movements.
Wearing a Retainer after Orthodontic Treatment
Regardless of the type of orthodontic treatment, everyone must wear a retainer to maintain results after teeth are in ideal alignment. Which retainer and how long your teen should wear it each day depends on their individual needs, and Dr. Jesse will advise you on what's best for them.
Book an Appointment at Our Phoenix, AZ, Dental Office
Dr. Jesse McGuire and his amazing dental team would love to meet you and your teen to answer your questions and determine if clear aligners are best for their needs. Please call Maryvale Children's Dentistry and Orthodontics at (623) 236-2474 to schedule an appointment.
