Aligner treatment in the teenage patient.

certain inherent drawbacks, including in creased oral bacteria and microflora,1-5 dental and soft-tissue discomfort, and poor esthetics. Teenage pa tients may be particularly reluctant to undergo fixed-appliance treatment for social reasons, but doctors and parents have been skeptical about their willingness to cooperate with removable clear aligners. To alleviate these concerns, Invisalign Teen* aligners incorporate three features specifically for adolescents: wear-compliance indicators,6 Power Ridges for lingual root torque, and eruption compensation to accommodate naturally erupting canines, second premolars, and second molars. A recent study comparing the periodontal status of adult patients after 12 months of treatment with fixed appliances vs. removable aligners found diminished periodontal status and increased levels of periodontopathic bacteria with the fixed appliances.7 Because clinical experiences of teenage patients with aligners had not previously been in vestigated, however, we designed a study to evaluate three aspects of treatment with Invisalign Teen in our own private practices. An analysis of the effectiveness of wear-compliance indicators has already been published6; the present article summarizes our results in the remaining two areas of study: patient oral health and patient satisfaction.**