Invisalign®: The Teen-Friendly Answer to Crooked Teeth

Before Invisalign®, traditional metal braces were the most reliable way to fix crooked teeth. Orthodontists have used them for decades, and they’ve given millions of people straighter, healthier smiles. 

However, the teen years are an intense period. Kids that age are figuring out who they are, paying close attention to how they come across, and have a level of social self-awareness that most adults have long since abandoned. 

For some teens, walking into school with a mouthful of metal brackets and wires affects how freely they smile, how confidently they speak, and how comfortable they feel in their own skin. And this is a significant reason why so many of them resist braces even when they have crooked teeth.

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that uses clear, removable aligners to straighten teeth. At LivWell Dentistry in San Francisco and San Ramon, Dr. Wenli Loo and Dr. Steve Deng offer Invisalign treatment for teens, so your child can work toward a straighter smile with a treatment process that doesn’t affect their confidence.

Here’s what to know about how it works, why it’s a great fit for teenagers, and what the experience is like from start to finish.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign straightens teeth using custom-made clear plastic aligners. Each set of aligners is worn for one to two weeks, then swapped out for the next set in the series. Every new tray is slightly different from the last, moving the teeth a little further toward where they need to be. 

Because the aligners are clear, they’re essentially invisible when worn. Unless someone is looking closely, most people won’t notice them at all. Treatment is mapped out digitally from the beginning, meaning we can show your teen a preview of what their finished smile will look like before they’ve even started wearing the first tray.

Invisalign can handle a wide range of issues, including crowded teeth, gaps, overbites, underbites, and crossbites. 

Why it’s a good fit for teenagers

The most obvious one is that the aligners are clear. Your teen can get through a full school day, sit for photos, or present in class while wearing the aligners, and nobody will notice. The aligners are also removable. 

Eating with braces comes with a long list of restrictions, as certain foods can damage brackets or get stuck in the wires. With Invisalign, your teen removes the trays to eat, brushes their teeth, and puts the aligners back in. 

Oral hygiene is also much more straightforward. Brushing and flossing around metal braces can be difficult, which is one reason some teens end up with dental problems during treatment. With Invisalign, the aligners come out, and they clean their teeth the same way they always have. 

What the treatment process looks like

The process starts with a consultation at LivWell Dentistry. We’ll look at your teen’s teeth, talk through what they’re hoping to correct, and assess whether Invisalign is the right approach for their case. 

If Invisalign is a good fit, the next step is a digital scan of the teeth. The scan generates a precise 3D model that we use to plan out the full course of treatment, including a preview of the final result. From there, the aligners are fabricated, and your teen receives their full set of trays.

Check-in appointments are scheduled every six to eight weeks and are generally brief. We review progress and confirm everything is going as planned. 

How long treatment takes depends on what’s being corrected. Mild crowding might resolve in six months. More complex cases can run to 18 months or longer. We’ll give a realistic estimate at the consultation.

The most important thing to understand about Invisalign is that it only works if the aligners are worn. Because they’re removable, there’s always the option to take them out. However, for the treatment to be effective, your teen needs to wear their aligners for 20 to 22 hours every day.

Invisalign has changed what orthodontic treatment can look like for teenagers in terms of results and how they feel throughout the experience. For teens who’ve been putting off treatment because of how braces might affect their confidence, Invisalign might be a fantastic alternative.

Schedule an appointment with us online or call us at 415-477-3700 to get your teen a smile they’ll want to show off.