Getting Ready for School? Here Are Some Tips for Your Invisalign Teen

Between helping your teen get ready for the first day of classes and keeping up with your own schedule, you might have forgotten to account for their Invisalign treatment. There’s no shame in that – life moves fast sometimes. But it is important for your Invisalign teen to stick to their care instructions and maintain their aligners properly. Otherwise, stains and prolonged treatment times could inconvenience the straightening process.

If you’d rather avoid all the drama, keep reading. These tips can help your teenager graduate from their Invisalign treatment smoothly!

Make a Dental Appointment

It’s a good idea to get your teen to the dental office for a quick check-up and cleaning. This will help ensure their oral health is good to go for the fall semester, but also their dental alignment. Your dentist can evaluate their treatment progress and make adjustments before school really heats up.

On-The-Go Oral Hygiene Supplies

When getting from class to class on time is important, you want your kid’s oral and aligner hygiene to be as quick and easy as possible. A travel case for their toothbrush will shield it from backpack bacteria, smaller toothpaste containers will be simpler to pack, and floss picks can make flossing a breeze. If you want to give your teen an extra boost, Invisalign cleaning crystals are a fantastic soaking solution for clear aligners.

Consider An Aligner Removal Tool

Invisalign aligners have to fit pretty snug in order to effectively straighten teeth, which can make them difficult to get off at times. Your teen probably doesn’t want to be seen struggling to remove their aligners at the cafeteria table! Aligner tools are designed to make this process less challenging, and are worth considering if you have a self-conscious teen – or one that simply has trouble removing their Invisalign.

Stock Up on Pain Relievers

Many patients consider Invisalign to be a comfortable orthodontic treatment, especially when compared to metal braces. However, upgrading to next-step trays can be uncomfortable. Your teen is likely to be sore. Make sure over-the-counter pain relievers are available so they can focus on their lessons.

Keeping up with an Invisalign treatment during school might seem inconvenient to your teenager, especially at first. If you notice them slacking on aligner maintenance or wear time, some encouragement could be a huge help! Remind them what the end-goal is: a beautifully straight smile. All of the hard work they put in will be worth it in the long run, whereas neglecting their Invisalign could just extend the length of their treatment.

In the meantime, you can support your teen by following these tips and reviewing Invisalign care instructions with your teen’s dentist. With all three of you on the case, your kiddo’s teeth will be straightened in no time!

About the Dentist

Dr. Yana Nemtseva earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the New York University College of Dentistry and has advanced training in both pediatric dentistry and clear aligner treatments. As someone who ironically didn’t enjoy her childhood dental experiences, Dr. Yana is great at helping nervous patients feel more at ease. If you and your teen need assistance with Invisalign back-to-school prep, she’ll be happy to help! To contact Dr. Yana’s office, call 732-972-6400.