Invisalign® for Teens

We Change Lives By Creating Beautiful Smiles

Invisalign for Teens in Leesburg, VA

Braces can cause people to feel self-conscious. This is particularly so for teenagers. While many teenagers can benefit from the use of braces, they often find large pieces of metal stuck on their teeth embarrassing and frustrating. In addition to the aesthetic appearance, braces can feel uncomfortable and can even cause pain if something goes wrong. This leads to the need for adjustments, which are time-consuming for both teens and parents.

Invisalign for Teens offers an effective and popular alternative to braces. In addition to being more comfortable, less noticeable, and easier to wear than traditional braces, the Invisalign for Teens aligners can also be easily removed for extracurricular activities such as sports or band. Invisalign for Teens is also customized to your teen's specific mouth and has a high success rate of straightening teeth.

At Lansdowne Dental Care, we recognize that every patient has a unique smile, and we are committed to working diligently to help your teenager receive the care they need. If your teenager is scheduled for an Invisalign appointment, or if you have any questions about Invisalign for Teens or other Invisalign treatment options, please contact us at 703.844.4403.

Invisalign Teen Process

During your teenager’s initial evaluation, Dr. Nguyen or Dr. Frame will conduct a thorough examination of their smile and create a digital step-by-step treatment plan using our iTero scanner.  Once this plan is in place, their aligners will be created in a lab and customized to comfortably fit your teenager’s specific mouth, a process that typically takes a few weeks. Depending on the severity of their case, one aligner may be sufficient to provide them with the correction they need, or a full pair of aligners may be required for more severe alignment issues.

Once the aligners are ready, it is important that your teenager wear their aligners for 20-22 hours a day, taking them out only to eat or clean them or to replace their next set of aligners, which typically occurs every one or two weeks. Each set of aligners that is placed is designed to gradually and gently shift the teeth into alignment. Treatment time will vary depending on the severity of your teenager's case, but on average, aligners are replaced every two weeks until the proper alignment is reached. While some discomfort may occur when the new set of aligners is placed, this generally goes away after a few days, and the aligners tend to be less uncomfortable than traditional braces.

Throughout the tray replacement process, it will be necessary to come in for regular checkups with our team so we can evaluate your teenager’s progress and, if necessary, add more trays to their treatment plan. If your teenager is not being compliant about wearing their aligners, we will be able to identify this at their follow-up appointment, at which point we can either try to convince them of the importance of wearing their aligners at least 22 hours a day or, if necessary, consider alternative treatment options.

Our Advanced Invisalign + iTero Scanning Process

Here at LDC, we can create a 3D image of your teeth in just minutes by using our iTero scanner. The iTero scanner is an industry-leading digital dentistry technology from the makers of Invisalign that helps us design clear aligners for patients during their smile and oral health assessment.

View the video for more information. 

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Dietary Restrictions

One major drawback of traditional metal braces is that wearing them limits the types of foods your teenager can enjoy. Dietary restrictions are no fun at any age, but it can be especially difficult for teenagers to hold off on food cravings and to practice the self-restraint necessary to avoid eating foods that may damage their braces. Invisalign for Teens removes this barrier, as the aligners can simply be removed while your teenager enjoys whatever food they may be craving, after which they should brush and floss their teeth and place the aligners back in.

Common Issues

One of the most common issues with Invisalign for Teens is a lack of compliance with wearing the aligners for the required amount of time. This is especially common at the beginning of treatment. During this initial period, your teen may notice an increase in their saliva production and may speak with a lisp. Fortunately, these issues will go away as their mouth becomes accustomed to the aligner trays; however, this adjustment period can be enough to dissuade teenagers from wearing their aligners. As a parent, it is important that you communicate with your teen and help support them while they go through this adjustment period. It may be helpful to begin treatment during the summer months, when your teenager is less likely to be in social situations where these issues will be more pronounced.

Another problem that may occur is the loss of the aligner, which may happen due to your teenager laying their aligner on a napkin while eating lunch at school and accidentally throwing it away or leaving it at a friend’s house. If an aligner tray is lost, it is relatively easy to replace. Also, if the tray that is lost is far enough along in the treatment cycle, it may be possible to simply swap out that aligner for the next set instead of replacing it.

Faster Treatment Time & No Discoloration

Another reason Invisalign for Adults is such a popular alternative to traditional braces is that it can straighten your teeth much faster than traditional braces. On average, a person will wear their aligners for two weeks before replacing them with the next set of aligners, and continue this process until the process is complete. Although treatment time may be longer for more severe cases, on average, Invisalign users can complete treatment within twelve to eighteen months or within three to eight months if your case is less severe and/or if you replace your aligners every week instead of every two weeks.

One drawback to traditional braces is that they can cause discoloration, which is called orthodontic white spot lesions, or WSLs. These white spot lesions develop due to buildup of plaque on the teeth that accumulates due to the difficulty of brushing and flossing thoroughly while having braces. While discoloration can be avoided with traditional braces by practicing thorough oral hygiene self-care, practicing the necessary self-care to avoid this and other oral health issues is significantly easier with Invisalign. Invisalign also makes it much easier to identify issues with yellowing, discoloration, or plaque buildup early and address them before they develop into more significant problems. While following your normal oral hygiene routine is much simpler with Invisalign, it is still important that you thoroughly clean around the attachments to prevent plaque buildup.

 

Contact us To get Started

Invisalign for Adults can make a remarkable difference in the lives of those with misaligned teeth or malocclusions, and scheduling this appointment is your first step towards having that bright, full, healthy smile you have always dreamed of. To schedule an appointment, or if you have any additional questions about the Invisalign for Adults process, please contact us at 703.844.4403.

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Meet Dr. Tracey Nguyen

Dr. Tracey Nguyen received her Doctor of Dental Surgery, Magna cum laude, at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Nguyen is trained in all phases of implant dentistry, and has received extensive training in cosmetic dentistry. She is also a manuscript/review editor for the Academy of General Dentistry.

More About Dr. Nguyen

We are located in Leesburg, VA but proudly serve Lansdowne, Reston, Broadlands, Ashburn, Sterling, and all neighboring communities.