What is Invisalign Teen and How Can It Improve a Teenager’s Self-Esteem?
It is difficult being a teenager. In addition to the body undergoing numerous changes, teenagers often feel increased societal pressure to fit in, stand out, and manage social, academic, and creative endeavors. It should be no surprise that teenagers also experience lower self-esteem than people of other ages.
Many teenagers fear undergoing orthodontic treatment because of the social stigma of wearing braces. However, the stigma is rapidly disappearing as more and more people realize orthodontic care improves overall health and wellness and can fix obvious issues like protruding teeth or a crossbite. However, for teenagers who continue to struggle with self-esteem, there is now Invisalign teen.
What Is Invisalign Teen?
Invisalign teen is an alternative orthodontic treatment designed to keep all of the pros of wearing braces while eliminating the cons. Invisalign consists of a set of clear plastic aligners which are custom made for each patient. These aligners fit over the teeth and provider consistent gentle pressure that moves crooked or irregular teeth into position.
Many teenagers and their parents often fear they will be unable to afford invisible braces, but the cost is actually comparable to modern metal options. While invisible braces used to be astronomically expensive, the price has decreased significantly as the technology allows more people to take advantage of such a unique orthodontic system.
Plus, Invisalign designed for teenagers often includes orthodontic appointments which work around busy academic schedules and activities, so you don’t have to worry about appointments interrupting a hectic social life.
How Does It Affect Confidence?
The aligners are perfect for teens because they are practically invisible when worn properly and eliminate many of the negative side effects patients experience with regular braces. For example, there are no obvious and uncomfortable wires and brackets, so it is possible to retain a natural appearance. This helps teenagers improve their self-esteem since their smile is being corrected in a safe, non-invasive manner. Another benefit is the lack of wires, which means the mouth and gums are less prone to being cut and covered in sores from metal rubbing against the soft tissue.
Recent studies conducted among teenagers also showed real, tangible results. Teens who wore Invisalign and similar invisible braces were 70% less likely to be teased about their appearance than their counterparts who wore braces. 70% is a huge number, and more social acceptance can be essential to helping a teen become well-adjusted.
It is an unfortunate truth that children and teens can be cruel, and teasing and personal attacks increase significantly in middle and high school. Teenagers are often scared about looking different, and braces can be a major change. When someone wears Invisalign teen, they are able to address their orthodontic problems in a discrete manner which does not draw any unwanted attention. This allows them to feel less singled out, can help them develop socially, and gives the teen more time to focus on self-confidence instead of being self-conscious.
Finally, Invisalign teen allows teenagers to experience straight teeth. Straight teeth are universally considered attractive and can make a teen feel more confident when they look in the mirror.
Easy to Wear
Invisalign teen also benefits teenagers by being easy to wear. When someone wears traditional braces, there are numerous restrictions. It is too easy to damage the wires and brackets with sticky foods, and many favorite choices like popcorn are forbidden because they might become trapped under the brackets.
Invisalign teen does not place any food or drink restrictions on teens, who often participate in social activities that focus around meals and food. Instead, they will be able to eat and drink like normal.
Why?
The Invisalign teen aligners can be removed while eating and drinking to avoid damaging them. The teeth can then be cleaned and the aligners put back in place for the rest of the day. Their flexibility also makes it easy to keep a smile clean, since brushing and flossing can be completed without the aligners in the mouth.
Contact Sports
Many teenagers, especially young men, choose to become active in sports. While some options don’t require contact, such as running, there are many others like football and basketball which involve physical contact and aggression.
Wearing traditional metal braces can be a major problem for teenage athletes. The metal already shifts the lips and can cause cuts and sores. Unfortunately, the wires and brackets put a teen at an increased risk of injury during contact sports, and they can be knocked loose.
Wearing Invisalign as a teen can help mitigate these risks. The aligners are designed with no sharp edges and can be put back in place with ease. Your teen can even remove them entirely during a sport like football to instead where a mouthguard!
Music
If your child or teen is musically active and trying to learn an instrument, traditional braces are a major problem. The brackets add extra millimeters to the teeth and it can be difficult to play wind and brass instruments which require a constant stream of breath.
If your teen is worried they will miss out on significant events because of their braces, they don’t have to worry when they have Invisalign. Once again, the aligners can just be removed to complete tasks with ease. So if there is an important band concert coming up, they can conveniently take out the aligners when it is time to play.
How to Get Treatment
Getting Invisalign for your teen should be as simple as finding the right orthodontist to work with. At Bordentown Braces, we take pride in being one of the most skilled orthodontists in Allentown, NJ. We can examine and inspect your child’s teeth and let you know if your teen would be a good fit for the clear aligners. Afterwards, we work closely with you to ensure the aligners are doing their job. Soon, your teen will have the benefits of straighter teeth, improved confidence, and high self-esteem because they managed to avoid the negative stigma and side effects of traditional braces.
It’s interesting that 70 percent of teens wearing Invisalign were less likely to be teased. My wife and I are thinking about getting Invisalign for our teenage son since his teeth aren’t straight. I’ll be sure to keep this in mind so we can consider Invisalign for him.