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Clear plastic aligners (like Invisalign) may be an option if your teen needs braces. These custom-made trays are swapped for new ones every two or three weeks to shift the teeth less than a millimeter at a time. They must be worn for 20 to 22 hours a day, and should be removed for eating, brushing and flossing, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Treatment time is about the same as with traditional braces, typically one to three years.
One of the biggest benefits for active teens is they can remove aligners before playing sports or musical instruments. And because they're not worn during meals, you won't need to worry about foods your teen can’t eat like popcorn, hard candies, raw carrots and pretzels, which damage traditional braces.