Dr. Mark Hodge runs Berkshire Dental Group in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Specializing in Invisalign for teens, Dr. Hodge treats more Invisalign patients than any other dentist in Oklahoma. He is the state’s only “Elite Invisalign Provider,” the company’s highest recognition award. Elite Providers represent the top 3% of Invisalign providers worldwide.
Why Invisalign Teen?
If you’re 16 or 17 and didn’t get braces when you were 11 or 12, the prospect of walking around with “metal mouth” may embarrass you. Most of your peers don’t have braces now. So, why not try Invisalign? Invisalign aligners are made of clear plastic so they are almost invisible. You’ll no longer feel self-conscious because your teeth are being treated and your risk of being bullied will dramatically decrease.
Invisalign aligners can be removed for eating, so you won’t have to suffer through embarrassing moments of getting food stuck in your braces or not being able to eat certain foods when out with friends. Invisalign won’t limit your enjoyment of life as a teenager. You will be able to go out on dates without feeling self-conscious about your mouth, and can even slip your Invisalign braces out before you give or get that goodnight kiss. Also, if you play sports and have metal braces, and get injured, braces could cause serious damage in your mouth. But, you don’t have to worry about that with Invisalign.
Plus, the Invisalign system allows for better oral hygiene, as the aligners can be removed before brushing. This means you will be less likely to have ongoing problems such as tooth decay as you get older.
Surveys show that given the choice, most patients and parents would prefer Invisalign Teen over traditional braces. It’s a technology that will gain even more of a market share every year from this point on.
How is Invisalign Teen Different from Adult Invisalign?
Invisalign Teen came on the market in mid-2009. It uses the same technology as adult Invisalign, but makes allowances for the fact that teenagers’ mouths are still growing, and they still have some baby teeth. The Invisalign Teen has “compliance indicators” — a blue dot on the back of the aligners that changes colors if you’ve worn it for the correct number of hours.
The average Invisalign treatment time is about 14 months. Sometimes the Invisalign Teen treatment takes a little bit longer because we have to wait for the natural growth of the jaw. For both men and women, the jaw grows until about age 21.
An Invisalign Teen Success Story
American Idol contestant Alaina Whitaker, then 16, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, successfully tried out for the mega-popular show in August 2009. Soon after her audition, she started reading that bloggers were commenting about the gap in her teeth. When she found out about Invisalign, she visited us at Berkshire Dental Group and we showed her a computer model of what her smile would look like without the gap — what a huge difference! After her treatment in our office, Whitaker says she would recommend Invisalign and me, Dr. Hodge, to anyone. Check out her story here.
Communicating With Teens
Because of the number of teenagers we treat, we communicate a lot through our Facebook page and two YouTube channels. Visit these pages for more information on Invisalign and to see for yourself how it has changed teens’ lives.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
