Any tween or teen who began Invisalign Teen treatment this summer has a big milestone ahead of them – going back to school with braces. Invisalign, though, is not too demanding. This treatment does require attention to detail and dedication to care, but once you have a routine in place, all should go smoothly in and out of the classroom.

Let’s Talk About Lunch

Tweens and teens will be wearing their Invisalign Teen aligners for the bulk of every day – 20 to 22 hours. This includes most of the school day – except for lunch when trays are removed for eating.

• If your student has a packed lunch, make sure they have an Invisalign case in their lunch bag to stash their trays while they eat.
• If your student buys lunch, encourage them to develop a habit of carrying their case in their pocket, binder, or backpack so they’ll have it ready when it’s time to sit down and eat.
• If your student goes off campus to eat lunch, make sure they don’t take any unnecessary risks like wrapping their aligners in a napkin or stuffing them in their pocket or bag out of the case.

Have Cleaning Supplies Ready

It’s easy to floss and brush your teeth when you wear Invisalign. The aligners are already out of your student’s mouth for lunch, so they can then make their way to the lavatory and brush up before putting the trays back in place. This effort might cut into socializing time but remind your teen that the effort won’t be required for very long. Most Invisalign treatments last an average of one year. This time next year, there’s a good chance they’ll have a straight smile and no Invisalign obligations whatsoever.

Plus, the attachments – the tiny, composite dots temporarily bonded to teeth – that are often needed to move certain teeth around must be properly cleaned to keep them as discreet as possible. And if you want to maintain clear, odor-free trays, cleaning them after every meal is essential.

Minimize Discomfort

As your teen already knows, there is some discomfort from time to time while wearing Invisalign Teen. The trays are intended to be switched out about every two weeks and will then begin to move the next several teeth into alignment.

To minimize the pressure that this switch can create, it’s a smart idea to change aligners at night. Don’t pop new ones in before walking out the door or getting on the bus. Putting trays in at bedtime gives them a decent stretch of hours to do their initial work and helps save the wearer from unnecessary pain.

Work with Your Philadelphia Orthodontist

If you or your student have questions about how to make Invisalign Teen as easy to work with in school as possible, reach out to Philadelphia Orthodontists for advice and support. Drs. Roberts and de Marsche and their orthodontic team in Center City are ready to help make every orthodontic treatment manageable. Schedule a consultation at Philadelphia Orthodontists.