Clear aligners for teens

Clear aligners for teens in Asheville, NC

The teen years are a time of many changes. One way to make a positive, lasting change in your teenager’s life is through straightening their teeth with clear aligners. This clear plastic alignment option allows your teen to straighten their teeth discreetly and improve their oral health.

Clear aligners for teens, such as the Spark or Invisalign® systems, are an effective orthodontic treatment option designed to suit our younger patients. At Black Orthodontics, our knowledgeable team has years of experience providing clear aligner treatments, making us an effective option for your alignment needs.

How clear aligners work

The clear aligners for teens treatment process is the same as the procedures for adults. Both processes use clear, plastic trays to slowly align your teeth over the course of a few weeks. On your teen’s aligner, you’ll see a small blue dot that changes to white or clear the more often your teen wears their aligner. This indicator will allow Dr. Black to see if your teen is wearing their aligner as intended.

Black Orthodontics will also provide your teen with more replacement trays than our adult patients. Since your teen is more active, they’re at a higher risk of losing or misplacing their trays. These replacement trays come at no extra cost and will keep your teen’s treatment process on track.

The benefits of clear aligners for teens

We know a beautiful smile can’t cure everything. But the confidence of a radiant and healthy smile can go a long way to boosting your teen’s self-esteem.

Advantages:

  • Less visits

  • Easy maintenance

  • Easy brushing

  • Shorter appointments

  • No emergency appointments

  • Freedom from restrictions

Is your teen a good fit for clear aligners?

A few factors may impact your teenager’s candidacy for braces or clear aligners:

  • Condition of their teeth: If your teenager is missing molars or baby teeth, this may disqualify them for clear aligners.
  • Level of treatment: While clear aligners can fix most dental issues, traditional braces may be a better treatment option if your teen is experiencing a severe bite issue.
  • Bone or jaw issues: Abnormalities in your bone or jaw may require you to pursue other treatment options, such as traditional braces.

Along with these physical considerations, it’s important to consider the responsibility level of your teen. They must wear their retainers for at least 20 hours each day and only remove their retainer to eat or drink. If you feel that your teen is not ready for the responsibility involved in this treatment process, you may want to pursue treatment options like braces.