MIAMI, CORAL GABLES AND BRICKELL, FLORIDA- In the three years since Align Technologies introduced Invisalign Teen, Dr. Stephen Grussmark, a Miami orthodontist, has seen an increase in the number of teenagers who request the invisible braces treatment.
July marked the three-year anniversary of the modified Invisalign, which is geared towards the needs of teenagers. Freedom is often what your teenager wants, and being tied down to metal braces may not appeal to them. Teens are excited when they find they can have straight teeth without conventional braces,” says orthodontist Dr. Stephen Grussmark.
The freedom that teens will experience during their orthodontic treatment is related to the fact that they have no food restrictions that are in place with traditional braces (the hard and sticky foods) because the aligners can be removed to eat, brush and floss. This takes away the chance of food or plaque getting stuck in brackets and wires, which could result in cavities and gum disease. It also eliminates the need for emergency visits to the ortho to repair broken appliances.
There are slight differences between the original Invisalign and Invisalign Teen version. These modifications were instituted for the purpose of meeting certain teenager issues.
Color Indicators
Invisalign Teen makers wanted to incorporate an element in the aligner to allow the orthodontist to determine the teen’s compliance.
The indicator, a blue dot on the rear of the aligner, will indicate to the orthodontist if the teen is wearing each aligner for the appropriate length of time. This blue dot fades with wear. Parents are also able to monitor the treatment with this modification.
“This indicator allows me to confirm whether the patient is wearing the aligner enough and to substantiate this with the patient and the parent,” says Dr. Grussmark, a provider of orthodontics. “Invisalign treatment will result in a beautiful, proper smile, as long as the aligners are worn as prescribed.”
Extra Aligners
The creators of Invisalign Teen understand that teens’ day-to-day activities may get in the way and aligners could get lost in the shuffle. That is why six free aligners are provided with treatment in case any go missing or get damaged.
As Invisalign technology continues to improve and with word spreading about Invisalign Teen, we expect the demand for this product among teenagers will grow in the years to come.
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