Teens Orthodontist | Orthodontics for Teenagers
Many parents and their teenagers get very anxious when they think of adding braces to adolescence’s emotional and physical roller coaster. Don’t worry! Orthodontic treatment is far less scary than you may think. We always begin with a complimentary evaluation with a board-certified orthodontic specialist, Dr. Carmen Briceño Crespi, and our fantastic staff. Once we identify a need for treatment, we explain in detail all of the options available to get you to your ideal smile. We then make a custom treatment plan and let you decide what style and type of treatment you want to choose.
At Lakes Orthodontics, we offer you the latest and “coolest” ways to straighten teeth and correct bite issues. Braces today are much smaller and less noticeable than in the past, and they come in various materials, styles, and colors.
Choose your style of braces:
Our practice offers a variety of orthodontic treatment options for our patients to choose from. Some common options include:
- Ceramic (clear) braces
- Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, and Invisalign Express.
- Traditional metal braces with or without colors (colors can be changed at each appointment).
Another common question is: “How long will I have to wear braces?”
At Lakes Orthodontics, we treat every patient based on their specific needs and preferences, and then we custom design a treatment plan to help them achieve their ideal smile!
The length of treatment time is dependent on three main factors:
What are the patient’s needs?
The amount of time it will take to correct a problem will determine the overall treatment length. Besides, each patient reacts to his or her treatment differently. After all, we are humans, not robots! Treatment times can vary based on how rapidly your body responds and how much work is necessary to give you the beautiful smile you deserve. An estimated treatment time is always given to each patient after Dr. Briceño Crespi studies and designs each patient’s specific treatment.
The Patient! The Teen!
Your willingness to follow Dr. Crespi’s instructions and use the appliances we give you greatly impacts the length of time it takes to complete treatment and results in your beautiful smile. It is always important to remember to take care of your braces and appliances; this will help make your treatment time faster and end with optimal results!
Make it to your appointments!
Teens are very busy and always have a lot going on in their lives between school, sports, social events, etc. Canceling their adjustment appointments for other activities will delay the length of treatment. Remember, Dr. Briceño Crespi plans out a custom-designed treatment plan for each patient that includes scheduled follow-up appointments to monitor, adjust, and advance her patient’s treatment. The average time between appointments is six weeks apart, and adjustments tend to take a half hour or less.
So, whether it appears or you think that your teenager needs orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign Teen or braces, the easiest way to find out is to make a free no, obligation consultation with the award-winning, board-certified Miami Lakes orthodontist Dr. Carmen Briceño Crespi. Call us at (305) 820-6800 or fill out the form below, and one of our smile specialists will contact you as indicated.
Here’s More Info Related to Invisalign for Teens near Miami Gardens
Dos and Don’ts for Cleaning Your Invisalign
Invisalign is an attractive alternative to braces partially due to its invisibility. Many people using Invisalign do not realize that the product will become more obvious if it is stained which typically occurs due to drinking coffee, tea, wine, etc. while wearing their Invisalign aligners. In order to keep your aligners looking crystal clear, you must clean them properly at all times. Whenever you remove your aligners from your mouth, rinse them with warm water right away. If you leave the saliva and plaque to dry, your aligner will be overtaken by bacteria. It is also important to periodically soak your aligners in something like denture cleaner, Retainer Brite, or Invisalign crystals to keep it disinfected.
Although the Invisalign aligners are only worn for two weeks at a time it is still very important to practice good oral hygiene and maintenance of the aligners. After eating and before inserting your aligners, it is important that you brush and floss your teeth very well. if you leave food and plaque on your teeth, this will transfer onto the aligner and could cause a stain. Clear and antibacterial soap is also effective at cleaning Invisalign aligners. Gently brushing your aligners with a toothbrush that has absolutely no toothpaste residue on it will help work out the plaque and bacteria. This must be a clean toothbrush because toothpaste gives aligners a foggy appearance. If you brush your aligners with harsh motions, you will cause scratches that will make them more obvious in your mouth.
When wearing Invisalign aligners, it is important that you refrain from eating or drinking anything except clear unflavored water. If you drink other liquids or eat with the aligners in your mouth, stains will form and your aligner might start to smell odd.
Never use toothpaste to clean your Invisalign aligners. Abrasive formulas will make your aligner dull looking and create small holes for bacteria to hide. You should also stay away from colorful soaps because although clear antibacterial soap is a great way to clean your aligners, colored soap could tint them. Leaving your aligners exposed to the elements is a great way to both lose them and fill them with harmful, foreign bacteria. When traveling, you should make sure to bring along your previous, current, and next set of aligners. This will help if you lose a set of aligners, but it will also give you the opportunity to go back to your previous aligners if the current set is too tight.
If you lose your aligners and will be gone for more than 14 days, you may want to order a new set and have them delivered to your current location. Do not leave aligners unattended in checked baggage. Always keep them in a purse or a carry on, as luggage can be lost or delayed.
Extra aligner cases always come in handy on trips, especially if you lose one in a restaurant or need one in the car and hotel. Bring extra tooth brushes and tooth paste with you at all times, as you will need to make sure your teeth are cleaned properly before you reinsert your aligners. If brushing your teeth is not possible, make sure to at least rinse the aligners with warm water three times before putting them back in your mouth.
If you would like to gather more information about caring for Invisalign aligners, contact us today.