Now with Invisalign Teen, teenagers do not need to have fixed braces placed on their teeth during their most self-conscious years and can still achieve a beautiful, healthy smile.

A survey done by Align Technology found that 94% of teens prefer Invisalign over braces.  Our experience in our offices verifies this fact:  Teens want a beautiful smile, but they DO NOT WANT braces.

As a practicing Orthodontist for over 27 years, I have finally realized this to be true. (I can’t believe it took me this long!)  While most children under the age of 12 are very excited about silver braces and all the great colors that go on the teeth, by the time these children reach middle school, the excitement about silver braces or even clear braces has all but disappeared.

Besides the fact that teens do not want fixed braces on their teeth, there are some significant advantages to Invisalign for the parents of these teenagers.

Most parents are both working or have other children that need to be driven to sports practices, music lessons and school events.  With Teen Invsialign, there are no more broken brackets at 8pm at night or a wire that is poking through the cheek at 7am.

Parents will not need to make extra time for emergency visits to get a bracket replaced or a wire trimmed.  Another huge advantage is sports.

Your average teenager today is involved in sports that often means travel out of the area.  What do you do when you are 100 miles from home and it is Saturday at the basketball tournament and your son just got hit in the face with a ball and half his braces are hanging out of his mouth?

With Invisalign the aligners can be worn during all sporting activities and can actually protect the teeth from injury.  No need to worry about a Saturday night visit to the emergency room to get braces removed that have been embedded into your child’s cheek.

Another big advantage for the parents and teens with Invisalign, is the fact that you do not need to change your diet.  No special foods or dinners need to be prepared for your child during his or her Invisalign treatment.  They take out their aligners and eat their favorite foods, brush their teeth and put them back into place.

Since they are removable, oral hygiene is a breeze and the permanent stains that can sometimes occur with fixed braces, will not happen with Invisalign due to ease of brushing and flossing.

In general, you will have less visits and less time spent in the Orthodontist office and your end result will be as good if not better than fixed braces.

Why do parents still choose fixed braces for their teens?

One reason is the perceived cost.  When Invisalign first came out in 1999 it was very expensive compared to fixed braces.  Since that time, the technology has improved and the costs have come down significantly to where in most offices nationwide, it is the same price as fixed braces.

A second reason, is that parents are worried their child will not wear them or lose their aligners.  Company wide, 1000’s of doctors who have be polled about this have all had the same experience like we have had, the teens wear their aligners better than most adults and they rarely misplace them.

The good news is that up to 6 aligners can be reordered at no charge if needed.  We often find this not to be necessary as the patient has worn the misplaced aligner long enough to just move forward to the next one a few days early.

We believe that clear removable braces, like Invisalign, are the future of Orthodontics and the best choice today for both Teens and Adults seeking a beautiful, healthy smile.

In our practices, we currently have patients in Orthodontic treatment as young as 6 years of age and the oldest patient is 81.  I know if you are reading this, you are thinking why would we treat a patient as young as 6 since they do not have all their adult teeth and on the other hand, why would someone 81 years old want braces?

I will explain both situations to you and share with you the options that are available at any age to improve your smile, make room for adult teeth, correct severe bite problems and eliminate jaw pain and excessive wear on your teeth and even help your heart!

Early interceptive Orthodontic treatment at ages as young as 6 or 7 is needed when patients have severe crowding (to prevent future extraction of perfectly healthy adult teeth) or to stop a bad thumb or finger sucking habit.  In some cases a severe underbite or overbite will also necessitate early orthodontic treatment.

Many adults, who did not have the financial ability as a child or teenager, now want to have a beautiful smile.  Fortunately, most adults can now have that picture perfect smile without braces!  Invisalign, a series of removable clear aligners, will move both adult and teen teeth effectively and predictably based on a computer-generated model of the teeth moving in stages.  Each stage of movement is a new set of aligners. No “metal mouth” and best of all less pain and typically treatment is completed sooner than with traditional braces.

Besides having a beautiful smile, straight teeth are easier to keep clean which greatly enhances the overall health of your gums and teeth.  Studies done in both medicine and dentistry have shown a link to cardiovascular disease and periodontal (gum) disease.  So straight teeth that are easy to floss and brush with also improve your heart health.

However with all the new developments in braces, I am most excited about Invisalign! I will share with you why I believe, as a tooth-moving tool (like braces) Invisalign can be the best choice for you and your family.

There are lots of myths about what Invisalign is, what it can do, how it works, its effectiveness and it’s pricing. I will cover all these areas in this article.

Just what is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a brand of clear removable aligners developed by Align Technology in 1998. Clear removable aligners have been used for decades as “retainers” at the end of “braces” to hold the teeth in their new position.

What Invisalign provides is software and technology that allows a patient’s crooked and misplaced teeth to move in stages. Each stage is a new set of aligners. Typically patients are required to wear their aligners 22 hours a day removing them for meals and tooth brushing. The aligners are changed every 2 weeks with each set gradually moving your teeth into the prescribed place as planned by your Orthodontist.

Can Those Clear Plastic Aligners Really Move Teeth?

The short answer is Yes Absolutely!

At first, back in 1998, Invisalign was used mostly for simple cases of spacing and very mild crowding. As the company grew and more and more Orthodontists starting using Invisalign in more challenging cases, the ability of the aligners to move teeth effectively and efficiently improved dramatically.

Currently, worldwide, 1.5 million patients have been treated with Invisalign since 1998.

Is It As Effective As Braces?

Absolutely! Invisalign, like braces is just a tool to help us Orthodontists move teeth. The square metal braces glued to a patient’s teeth will not magically move those teeth into a beautiful smile without a diagnosis and treatment plan in place that has been set by an Orthodontic Specialist.

Likewise, clear removable aligners will not magically move teeth without the experience of an Orthodontist who has expertise in Invisalign. An easy way to determine experience levels with Invisalign is to go to their website www.invisalign.com and type in your zip code. The providers with the most experience are at the Elite Level and are listed first. If you are interested in Invisalign for you and your family, this is a great way to make sure you are seeing a provider who has expertise with this type of tooth moving appliance.

Doesn’t Invisalign Take Longer?

Both braces and Invisalign require commitment from patients. If a patient is willing to cooperate 100 percent with their braces and 100 percent with their aligners, typically in our offices they will finish treatment in the same time frame. Uncooperative patients, such as those breaking their braces, not wearing their elastics or aligners will definitely have longer treatment times with less successful a result.

Isn’t Invisalign More Expensive Than Braces?

When Invisalign came to the marketplace in 1998, it was very expensive. Like all new technology the price has decreased over the years as more and more patients are deciding to have their teeth straightened using this appliance. Meanwhile, the costs associated with braces and wires have increased dramatically over the same time frame. In our offices, our Invisalign and braces fees are essentially the same.

Why Choose Invisalign?

In summary, you now know what Invisalign is, how it works, its effectiveness and pricing compared to braces. So why do people choose Invisalign over braces?

Patients who wear Invisalign will be able to brush and floss without braces and wires in the way. Furthermore, they are removable so you can eat what you want, just take them off, eat that caramel apple, brush your teeth and put them back on. Another reason to choose Invisalign is that there is minimal discomfort compared to the roughness of braces and the wires that potentially stick your cheeks and tongue. And finally, they are virtually invisible, which is great for adults and teens too!

Invisalign is a great choice for you and your family and if you want to learn more, visit our Invisalign pages or call 916-435-8000 to schedule a complimentary consultation.

These clear removable aligners have been available for over 10 years now, but recently have become the biggest news for Teens looking for an alternative to unsightly metal braces.

Teen Invisalign is a fabulous option to those patients who want straight teeth but are not willing and able to wear metal braces.  The clear aligners are worn about 22 hours a day and removed only for eating and brushing your teeth.

Unlike traditional metal braces, they do not require any dietary restrictions or any special tools to keep your teeth clean.  You simply remove them to eat what you want and brush your teeth like you normally do and then put your aligners back on.

Another huge benefit is that they typically require fewer visits to the Orthodontist, and because there are no wires to move around, you have no problems with wires sticking your cheeks or braces coming off your teeth and irritating your lips.

The aligner’s move the teeth in a prescribed way based on the treatment plan your doctor put together.  You change your aligners every 2 weeks.  Each set is moving the teeth about ¼ of a millimeter.  The discomfort is minimal compared to traditional braces.

If you play contact sports, they also can protect your teeth from being injured during practice or a game.

Like Justin Bieber, many teens want to have straight beautiful teeth, but do not want to have “metal mouth” as their new nickname.

Teen Invisalign is logical choice that will deliver results as good as or even better than traditional braces.

The good news is that you do not have to be a “Teen Idol” to have Invisalign.  The cost of Invisalign is about the same as metal braces and if you have orthodontic insurance, it will cover Teen Invisalign.

Needless to say, we do know how Orthodontics can impact your child and you too, forever! Modern Orthodontics can change your smile in as little as 6 months. Some of the newest advances in “braces” today are totally invisible and perfect for any adult or teen who wants a fabulous smile that can last a lifetime.

One new innovation in invisible braces in the past 8 years is Invisalign. Invisalign Orthodontic treatment involves wearing a series of clear removable aligners ( they resemble a very thin mouthguard) approximately 22 hours per day. They are removed for eating and toothbrushing. The aligners last about two weeks, then you switch to another set for another 2weeks. This process continues until your teeth are aligned and your smile is fabulous!

The technology that goes into the making of the aligners is quite sophisticated. An impression or “mold” of your teeth is taken and then sent to Invisalign. The mold of your teeth is scanned and then digitized. A computer generated sequence of tooth movements is then put into place for approval by the treating Orthodontist. Once the Orthodontist approves the final result and how the teeth are moved and aligned, the clear aligners are fabricated and sent to the Orthodontist for delivery to the patient.Invisalign treatment is invisible and virtually pain free.

More recently, braces that go behind the teeth called “lingual braces” are increasingly popular especially for adults who are in sales or speaking careers. The braces that go behind your teeth (lingual) are completely invisible and work in a similar fashion to the braces that go on the front of your teeth. The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are spokeswomen for the company known as “I Braces” that manufactures these custom made braces. The Cowboy Cheerleaders are known for having a Half-Time contest asking the audience to guess which cheerleaders have braces on!

One question that comes up regarding the “I Braces” is a concern about the potential irritation of the tongue by the braces. Whether the braces are on the front of your teeth or on the back, there will 2 weeks of some adjustment either by your cheeks or your tongue.

If you are not opposed to having braces on the front of your teeth, but you still want a no metal option, then newest type of braces, called Innovation-C are the choice for you. These braces have the advantage of never discoloring (they are made of ceramic) and move the teeth more efficiently and quickly without the associated pain and discomfort of traditional metal braces. They have a clip that holds the wire in place rather than a clear or colored elastic tie. This allows the wire that is attached to the brace to be constantly active. These type of braces work best with light wires and therefore, light but consistent force on the teeth. Studies have shown that the time spent in braces can be decreased by 25% with these new type of clip braces.

Invisalign, “I Braces” and Innovation-C braces, are just some of newest innovations in Modern Orthodontics today.

Studies have shown that your physical appearance does effect your economic status. According to Danile Hammermesh and Jeff Biddle, two economists with the National Bureau of Economic Research, they have found the more attractive your appearance, the more money you will make. Orthodontics is truly an investment in you and your family’s future.

Drs. Cater and Galante are a husband and wife team of Orthodontists who have been in practice together for over 15 years. They have over 45 years of combined experience in Orthodontics and are Premier Providers of Invisalign ( top 5% nationwide).

Now Available ….Invisalign for Teens!
Many adults have enjoyed the benefits of Invisible Braces, also known as Invisalign.  Invisalign Treatment, for those of you who are not familiar with them, are clear, removable braces that move your teeth without the use of fixed metal or ceramic braces and wires on your teeth.   They are worn 22 hours per day and removed for eating and brushing your teeth.  They are very easy to wear , comfortable and best of all removable so patients can continue to eat all their favorite foods and brushing and flossing are routine.
Many teens have requested Invisalign and now it is available!  There are several new additions to the aligners that help with tracking compliance (ie…wearing of the aligners 22 hours per day) and built in features to compensate for teeth that are not fully erupted yet.  The  benefits of improved oral hygiene, no broken or loose brackets and no dietary restrictions, make Invisalign Teen a good choice for many patients.
Many parents will also be happy to find out that the investment for Invisalign is similar to that of clear braces.

Call our office at 916-435-8000 or 530-432-3483  and set up a complimentary consultation to find out if Invisalign is the right choice for your Teen.
*** Check out our website at: www.luvmysmile.com to learn more about Invisalign