If you are the parent of a teen whose teeth are misaligned, you may be looking for orthodontic options that can straighten your child's teeth without making him or her feel uncomfortable about his or her appearance. Traditional metal braces may align your teenager's teeth effectively. However, their large metal brackets may also make your teen feel self-conscious and unattractive. Here are a few orthodontic options that are not as noticeable as conventional metal braces:

Lingual Braces

Lingual braces are difficult to see when your teen speaks or smiles because they are attached to the back side of the teeth instead of the front surface. The side of the teeth that is positioned next to the tongue is still suitable for bracket placement and can be effectively used for dental alignment.

In addition, lingual braces are a particularly good option if your child plays a wind instrument in the school band because they allow the formation of the lips when blowing to remain unaltered. 

Lingual braces are also often prescribed for people who play contact sports, since the inner lip can become snagged or torn by metal braces on the outer surface of the teeth. 

Clear Braces

Clear braces are placed in the same manner as traditional braces, but their brackets are made of white ceramic. Thus, they have a clear appearance that makes their brackets difficult to distinguish from natural tooth material. 

If your teen has a creative flair that he or she wants to display, your teenager can use colorful elastic ligatures with the clear braces to make a fashion statement.

Invisalign

Invisalign is an orthodontic option that doesn't require the use of brackets. With this tooth-straightening system, customized, clear plastic aligning trays are used to apply pressure to the teeth and coax them into alignment. 

Multiple trays will be used to progressively shift the teeth into position. Your child will use each set of aligning trays for about two weeks before progressing to the next set of trays in his or her treatment plan.

Not only are Invisalign trays difficult for an observer to see when worn; they are also removable. Your child can take his or her trays out to eat, brush and floss comfortably.

Although your teen may already prefer a certain orthodontic option, he or she will need to be fully evaluated by an orthodontist to determine the suitability of an alignment treatment. Contact an orthodontist in your area to schedule an appointment for your teen today.