Invisalign – Levittown, PA
The Metal-Free Way
to a Straight Smile
For a long time, the only way to straighten spaced-out, overlapped, and otherwise misaligned teeth was to wear metal brackets and wires. Naturally, image-conscious teens weren’t exactly thrilled by the prospect of wearing noticeable braces. The good news is that there is now a considerably more discreet alternative: Invisalign. To learn more about this innovative orthodontic treatment, keep reading or schedule a consultation!
Why Choose Happy Teeth of Levittown for Invisalign?
- Preferred Invisalign Provider
- Multiple Financial Solutions
- Saturday Appointments Available
How Invisalign Works
The entire teeth-straightening process begins with a consultation with our dedicated orthodontist, Dr. Aieman Jazaierly. At this appointment, they will take the necessary X-rays and examine the position of your child’s teeth to determine if they are a candidate for Invisalign. If they are, then a custom treatment plan will be made to guide their teeth from where they are now to where they should be. This is accomplished with a series of clear aligners, which must be worn for 20-22 hours a day.
Invisalign Teen
Teenagers are known for being self-conscious about their image, which makes it hard for some of them to get excited about traditional metal braces. Luckily, Invisalign Teen can help many adolescents subtly straighten out their smiles so they can enjoy all the health benefits of well-aligned teeth. If you’re wondering if your teen is a good candidate for this treatment, contact our office in Levittown to schedule a consultation.
How Is Invisalign Teen Different?
Invisalign Teen is more-or-less the same as regular Invisalign, and the process is similar. The clear aligners used in the process are specially designed with little blue dots that fade as the patient wears them. This allows the teen, their parents, and our dentist to have a fair idea of whether the aligners are being worn enough to achieve the desired result. Since teens can sometimes be boisterous, Invisalign Teen also comes with complimentary replacement aligners in case theirs are lost or damaged.
Is Invisalign Right for Your Teen?
Invisalign Teen requires patients to strictly comply with their treatment plan. Patients must wear their aligners at least twenty hours every day and practice proper oral hygiene, so the treatment is best for responsible teens who can stick to a schedule. Clear aligners are also much smoother than the metal parts of traditional braces, which can make them easier to wear for patients with lower thresholds of discomfort. While Invisalign treatments can treat slight misalignments as well as gapped teeth, crossbites, open bites, and underbites, they aren’t ideal for complex issues like severe misalignments. The only way to determine whether your teen is a good candidate for treatment is to have a consultation at our office.
The Benefits of Invisalign Teen
Invisalign Teen is a more discreet and comfortable way to realign a smile than traditional orthodontic methods. Your teen will certainly enjoy such benefits as:
- Removable aligners allow the patient to eat anything they want as long as they clean their teeth thoroughly before putting their appliances back in.
- Clear plastic makes Invisalign Teen aligners nearly invisible, setting students up for great yearbook photos or selfies.
- Invisalign Teen is great for athletes because they are generally safe to wear during non-contact sports and can be removed and swapped out for an athletic mouthguard during rougher games like football or hockey.
- Correcting dental misalignments earlier in life can set a patient up for a lifetime with teeth that are easy to clean and protect, reducing the risks of injury and oral infections.
- Checkups generally only take a few minutes, meaning your teen won’t miss much time at school.
Indications for Invisalign
Over the years, Invisalign has continued to advance, making it a great fit for patients with all sorts of orthodontic problems. Here are a few of the most common ones:
Crowded Teeth
Overcrowded teeth can do much more than negatively impact your child’s self-esteem; it can impact your child’s oral health! The good news is that the clear aligners can gently guide their teeth into the properly aligned positions, improving the look, health, and function of their smile in the process.
Gaps Between Teeth
Spaced-out teeth are similar to overlapping teeth in the sense that they create unique crevices where food particles and plaque can hide. With Invisalign, we can close these gaps in an average of just 12-18 months. So, your child won’t have to wait long to see the results!
Bite Alignment
If your child has an overbite, underbite, open bite, or crossbite, it’s important to bring them in. From there, we can determine if Invisalign can effectively align their bite. Often, this requires the use of other orthodontic accessories, like buttons and rubber bands.
Benefits of Invisalign
Hands down, the biggest draw of Invisalign is that the aligners are see-through, making orthodontic treatment more discreet than ever before. However, there are other benefits that are equally as noteworthy, even though they aren’t talked about as much. Here are a few:
Comfortable Trays
Conversations around Invisalign aligners are often centered around how clear they are. However, that’s just one perk; they are also quite comfortable! That’s because they are custom-made so they don’t dig into the soft tissue in your mouth. Plus, they are crafted from high-quality, low-profile, and smooth plastic, which ensures your tongue, lips, and gums won’t get irritated either.
Hassle-Free Oral Hygiene
Since the brackets and wires can’t be removed, patients with traditional braces need to adapt to brushing and flossing around them. Usually, this requires the use of special oral hygiene products, like interproximal toothbrushes. That’s not the case with Invisalign. When you’re ready to complete your dental care regimen, all you need to do is take your aligners out first!
Fewer Check-In Visits
Although each treatment plan is unique, most patients with traditional braces need to come in monthly for adjustment appointments. As you can imagine, this isn’t ideal for busy students, parents, and professionals. The good news is that the Invisalign check-in visits are more spaced out; instead of every four weeks, they are every six weeks or so. That means less time in the treatment chair for you!
Shorter Average Treatment Timelines
Ultimately, the length of your treatment plan will depend on factors unique to you, including how complex your case of malocclusion is. With that said, Invisalign does deliver quicker results on average. In fact, many patients work through their entire series of trays in just 12-18 months. So, if you want to have straight teeth as quickly (and safely) as possible, contact us to find out if you’re a candidate for Invisalign!
No Dietary Restrictions
Did you know that patients with traditional braces need to alter their diet to help prevent problems like broken brackets and loose wires? It’s true! Whole apples, cashews, celery, and popcorn are just a few of the foods on the list of dietary restrictions. If these are some of your favorite snacks, don’t worry – you don’t need to alter your diet with Invisalign.
Improved Confidence
One downside of traditional metal braces is that patients feel like they need to hide them when they smile or laugh. Clear aligners, on the other hand, blend in seamlessly with your teeth, ensuring no unwanted attention is drawn to your smile. Plus, the fact that they are clear and removable allows you to watch your teeth move closer and closer to their ideal positions!
How Much Does Invisalign Cost?
Parents are often surprised to hear that there isn’t a flat fee for Invisalign. The reason why is that each treatment plan is custom-made! Before determining the price of your child’s orthodontic treatment, we need to consider the complexity of their case, how many aligners are needed, if rubber bands need to be included, and more. With all of that said, we will provide you with an estimate of the price at their appointment and share all of the ways you can prevent additional costs from coming up down the line.