One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign treatment is one of its drawbacks as well. The aligners are detachable, making it a cinch to sustain oral hygiene while ensuring there’s no need to modify diet throughout treatment. However, the fact that they’re removable also implies that patients may forget to wear them as recommended. Your teen’s orthodontic treatment depends on numerous factors, one of which is the teen himself or herself. So, how often does a teen need to wear Invisalign?
Both teenage and adult patients will need to show commitment to wearing their Invisalign aligners, as recommended by the orthodontist. Patients, especially teens looking for efficient, long lasting results should wear Invisalign aligners for a minimum of 22 hours daily. Essentially, they should remain on the teeth as much as possible to ensure effective treatment.
How Many Hours Does a Teen Need to Wear Invisalign?
Invisalign moves the teeth gently, so when the aligner is over the teeth, it works to guide the teeth slowly to the position created by the aligner. The continuous movement, produced by the shape of the aligners, is what guides your teen’s teeth to the desired locations. The initial movement can cause some discomfort, but this passes. It’s important to remind your teen not to remove the aligners, even if there is some pain or discomfort caused by Invisalign.
Every 7-10 days a patient will need to swap a set of aligners for a new set, tailored for the subsequent level of tooth movement. If a patient doesn’t wear the current set of aligners as recommended, his or her teeth won’t be ready for the subsequent set of aligners. This is due to the teeth having not moved the appropriate distance to fit into the next tray, but the teeth may have also experienced a relapse in alignment.
A Teen Needs to Wear Invisalign Regularly
Keep in mind that every set works to shift the teeth to a specific location. However, this only occurs when patients – both teen and adult – wear them regularly. If a patient doesn’t wear the aligners for at least 22 hours, the orthodontist might need to alter the treatment. Hence, it could take longer to move the teeth to the new location. In such cases, the orthodontist will frequently need to re-fabricate aligners; this can be a time-intensive (and sometimes costly) hassle. Misplacing or losing the aligners can certainly lead to a small delay in treatment time, so it’s important that your teen takes care of their aligners.
Invisalign is virtually unnoticeable, and wearers appreciate the ability to remove the aligners when eating or brushing their teeth. However, this degree of freedom requires greater responsibility. The failure to follow the treatment plan will lead to disappointment, frustration, and extended treatment times.
Book an appointment with Dr Bachmayer today to discuss your, or your teen’s Invisalign treatment.