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How to Keep Your Teen Compliant with Invisalign During COVID-19

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teen boy holding invisalign trayIf you’re a parent with a teenager, then the recent COVID-19 pandemic is probably forcing you to spend a lot of extra time with your child, which means you’re likely thinking about their Invisalign treatment more than normal. With their daily routine basically out the window, it’s easy for a lot of children to not keep up with Invisalign and let it go way off track. This can drastically extend their treatment time and be very expensive, and no one wants that! Fortunately, Invisalign in Powell has an easy way to make sure your child is wearing their trays as much as they should, and you can learn more about it below.

The Importance of Wearing Invisalign as Much as Possible

While your orthodontist certainly went over this with you and your teen when they began treatment, it’s always good to get a reminder from time to time! Ideally, your teen should be wearing their trays for about 20-22 hours a day, only taking them out to eat and clean their teeth. This enables the trays to move the teeth as quickly as possible so your child can achieve their new smile efficiently and on schedule. By not wearing them enough, a teen may accidentally add months to their treatment, which can be costly in both time and dollars.

How to Keep Track with Invisalign TEEN

At the back of every Invisalign tray your teen has, there is a small blue dot. It can’t be seen from the front, and it will slowly fade as your teen wears their tray. Your orthodontist would usually monitor this at your child’s progress appointments, but it may be a while before they can attend one because most offices are only seeing emergency patients right now. So, it’s wise to call your orthodontist and ask how your teen’s indicator dots should look over time. How will you be able to tell the trays are being worn enough? Your teen’s orthodontist will let you know exactly what to look for! That way, you can ensure your child is following their treatment to the letter.

Special Invisalign Tips for COVID-19

If your teen is currently on their last set of trays, and they aren’t able to get the next one, instruct them to keep wearing what they have as much as possible. This will essentially keep their teeth in place and prevent them from drifting out of position. Also, make sure your teen washes their hands before they touch their trays to take them off or put them on. This may seem cumbersome and slow at first, but this practice will go a long way in keeping them safe from infection.

While your teen’s Invisalign might be the last thing on your mind right now, monitoring their indicators will help you have one less thing to worry about during everyone’s extended time at home, and that’s a blessing in itself!

About Shirck Orthodontics

Shirck Orthodontics is a family-oriented practice that provides braces, Invisalign, and many other types of specialty dental care to the Powell community. We are currently ONLY seeing emergency patients, but if you have any concerns about your teen’s orthodontic treatment, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ll be happy to see them if they are experiencing any pain, but be sure to call ahead first! To get in touch with our friendly team, click here.