There are few known truths when it comes to any type of braces — whether for adults, teens or adolescents:
- Everyone hopes to have a perfectly straight and beautiful smile they love.
- No one is super excited about sporting silver metal brackets and wires for up to two years or even longer. Most simply don’t want to deal with the discomfort of even clear ceramic braces, much less the appearance of metal braces.
That’s where Invisalign clear aligners come in. At VanLaecken Orthodontics, our doctors have been skillfully providing Invisalign to South Dakota orthodontic patients for years. In fact, we are South Dakota’s most experienced Invisalign provider! Adults who were embarrassed by braces were the original market for Invisalign. But now, with advancements in technology, Invisalign is a viable orthodontic solution for people of all ages.
What Is Invisalign?
Invisalign clear aligner treatment is the modern, comfortable and invisible way to straighten your teeth, often in less time than traditional braces. The process uses clear plastic trays that are molded to fit your specific teeth and mouth and developed in a series of increments that, when worn, gradually move your teeth into their desired location. At VanLaecken Orthodontics, we’ve had happy, satisfied Invisalign patients in their 80’s as well as teens as young as 13.
Benefits of Invisalign For All Ages
Whether the Invisalign treatment works for you as well as adult metal or clear braces is really dependent more on the severity of your orthodontic problem than on your age. Invisalign works well on crowding, overbites, underbites, and gapping between the teeth. The most popular reasons adults and teens ask for Invisalign include:
More Confident Appearance
All ages tell our Sioux Falls orthodontists that they love their look without metal braces. Teens are happy to take all those selfies with little evidence of orthodontic treatment. And adults talk about how some of their closest friends didn’t even realize they had aligners in. Invisalign clear aligners are a confidence booster for young and old.
No Food Restrictions
Whether it’s having to restrict your options at the school cafeteria or not wanting to miss out on corn-on-the-cob at the family picnic, braces-wearers have to change-up their lifestyles by monitoring their diets to avoid hard or sticky foods. With Invisalign, you take the aligners out to eat which means you eat and drink whatever you want. So adults can have that glass of red wine without worrying about staining their ceramic clear braces. And kids can grab that apple in the lunch line and bite into it with no problems.
Faster Treatment
The majority of Invisalign patients wear their Invisalign aligners for about 12 months, which is less time than it traditionally takes braces to work. We also offer advanced treatments that helps speed up orthodontic treatment even more.
Invisalign Teen Advancements
The popularity of Invisalign for adults grew so quickly that a special version of the clear aligner treatment is now made just for teens. The Invisalign Teen product contains a wear mark on the backside of each aligner so our orthodontists can monitor and be sure that our patients are wearing the aligners for the proper amount of time. They also come with replacements so if you break or lose one of your aligners you don’t have to worry about replacing it!
Limitations of Invisalign For All Ages
Just like the benefits for Invisalign can be rewards for adults, teens and kids, the limitations can also affect all ages. Here are things to consider before deciding on Invisalign:
Keeping Track Of Your Aligners
Commitment and self-discipline are the main requirements for wearing Invisalign. The clear trays have to be worn for a minimum of 22 hours a day for treatment to be completed on time. Because Invisalign involves clear aligners that are removed when you eat and brush your teeth, it’s not uncommon for patients to leave them out too long each day or even lose them altogether! Parents of younger Invisalign wearers often have to closely monitor their children to ensure their aligners are in their mouths and not left on their bedside table or in their backpacks.
Permanent Teeth Are A Must
Children’s mouths that are still growing and developing are not eligible for Invisalign. Invisalign is only recommended for kids who have a full set of permanent teeth.
More Control Needed
Invisalign isn’t always able to give your Sioux Falls orthodontist the control needed to move your teeth in certain ways. Traditional metal or ceramic braces treatment is still the go-to for severe cases of malocclusions as well as:
- Severely rotated teeth (more than 25 degrees)
- Tipped teeth that are angled more than 40 degrees
- Teeth that have generous gaps between them
- Open bites
- Overbites
- Cases where teeth need to be extracted and then moved
You’re Likely a Candidate For Invisalign
As always, the best way to know for sure if you’re a good candidate is to schedule a consultation with VanLaecken Orthodontics. We’ll be able to look at your unique circumstances and answer any questions you may have. Our orthodontists are experienced in handling complex cases. Don’t settle for being told you’re not a candidate for Invisalign—reach out to our Sioux Falls Invisalign experts!
Invisalign treatment continues to be one of the fastest-growing orthodontic treatments in the Sioux Falls area. Invisalign clear aligners provide our patients with an alternative to braces for straightening teeth and creating beautiful, confident smiles. Satisfaction rates are very high. Up to 96 percent of Invisalign patients are satisfied with the experience and the end result. We look forward to helping you begin your journey to a new smile!
Source: “Why Invisalign Is Great for All Ages,” Harner Orthodontics