Being a teenager can be… interesting. There’s a lot of fun times, and there are a lot of adjustments to make—but when it comes to orthodontic treatment, Rhoads Orthodontics wants their experience to be smooth sailing. Let’s talk about the best treatment options for teens.
Taking a Route
Rhoads Orthodontics offers everything from braces to laser treatment in our office—but some approaches are better suited to teenagers than others. Dr. Rhoads will partner with your teen during their consultation to discuss the ins and outs of these treatment options.
- Metal Braces: Traditional metal braces should never be underestimated. There’s a reason so many people successfully complete this type of treatment. It’s able to address the most simple and complex orthodontic issues.
- For Teens: This reliability can be a great asset for teens. Traditional braces also require slightly less maintenance as opposed to treatments like Invisalign, since they are permanently fixed to the teeth. However, there can still be struggles with cleaning and other adjustments.
- Clear Braces: The beauty of clear or ceramic braces is that they bear the same functionality as metal braces but with a more tooth-like appearance. The brackets will closely match your natural tooth color.
- For Teens: The advantage of clear braces for teenagers is usually cosmetic. If they’d rather not have metal brackets, this can be considered a more “subtle” option.
- Invisalign: Invisalign uses bi-weekly sets of clear aligners to adjust teeth over time. This option is customized and fabricated based on a 3D digital scan of a patient’s mouth.
- For Teens: Invisalign is by far the most natural-appearing option we offer—but that comes with more specialized rules. Teens will need to switch their aligners on time, remove them when eating and drinking, and simply keep up with them. These additional challenges may outweigh the advantages for some teens.
Special Considerations for Teenagers
As we said, teenagers are living in a complicated period of life. There are additional factors to think about for teens, as opposed to kids or adults, when selecting a type of orthodontic treatment. Here are some topics to consider:
- Diet Adjustments: Adolescents and teenagers can struggle when it comes to avoiding foods they enjoy. Sticky and hard snacks, as well as sugary drinks, can all jeopardize braces or clear aligners. As a parent, you’ll want to encourage them to eat foods suitable for their appliances.
- Oral Hygiene: A lot of teenagers are busy with school, social events, and extracurricular activities. Keeping up with an excellent oral hygiene routine can be tough under those circumstances. We suggest using tools like interdental toothbrushes, floss threaders, and water threaders to help make cleaning more manageable.
- Managing Speech Adjustments: This issue relates back to the social aspect of braces. Teenagers, maybe even more so than children or adults, can struggle with speech adjustments. It can be hard to overcome confidence-wise, but it can be helped with practicing speaking.
- Sports: Contact sports like football, hockey, or lacrosse—or even sports like cheerleading or gymnastics—can pose a level of risk to kids with braces. A mouthguard shouldn’t be optional in these types of sports, though some kids might try to get by without one. This is usually when serious orthodontic injuries happen.
- Addressing Questions and Concerns: A lot of teenagers can feel hesitant when it comes to asking Dr. Rhoads about points of concern. We want to make sure that they feel confident in an open line of communication—so that their concerns feel heard and addressed.
- Acne and Sensitive Skin: Braces can occasionally cause irritation to the skin around the mouth, which can be uncomfortable and frustrating to teens already dealing with acne. Using orthodontic wax can help counter this irritation, but cleaning their faces regularly is usually the best way to remedy this issue.
- Preparing for Big Events: Teenagers have a lot of big things happening—school dances, sporting events, graduations. Our office team will work with you to ensure we’re able to schedule around these important events and still stay on track with their orthodontic treatment.
- Responsibility: For teenagers with braces and Invisalign, there is a heightened level of responsibility. Teenagers need to be prepared for this before they start treatment. Dr. Rhoads will help to make sure they are fully aware of what their maintenance routines will look like, have all questions answered, and are ready to commit to orthodontic treatment before starting.
Away We Go!
So if your teenager is a bit nervous before starting their treatment, we get it. We won’t act as if it’s not a big change—but the important thing to remember is the reason behind it all. Having a new smile makes all the hard work worth it, in the end, every single time. We look forward to meeting your family at our Cranberry Township office soon!