Digital Era
This period of transitioning from adolescence to adulthood is a vulnerable time for tweens and teens. How they feel about themselves, or how they often see themselves, is heavily based off other people's opinions, creating a constant fluctuation in their attitude. During this pivotal time in their lives, many teens feel extremely self-conscious about their looks. The mounting pressures to fit in can be emotionally and physically draining, capable of not only leaving a child to be moody and irritable, but often times, sending them off towards the future feeling significantly and socially disconnected.
Keeping the lines of communication open with a teenager proves to be very challenging, especially in our highly-advanced tech world. You would think just the opposite, but it is seemingly much easier to hide behind our screens. This new wave era is clearly focused on the images- the images we post, hashtag, and place extreme value on. The age of image features the epic revolutionary battle between social media and what I like to refer to as "teen-esteem". By understanding the impact of Generation Y's cultural divide, we can bring the leading self-esteem issues from under the shadows of a filter and into the forefront. It is time we better comprehend the evolving digital burdens affecting our youth and rebuild their confidence strong!
When it comes to smiling, often the most attracting aspect of one's face, many teens don't want to follow the most common path to fix their teeth – metal braces. Teens fear not only the physical pain, but the emotional hurt that wearing brackets may bring. Their concerns are valid, as teens who have donned braces were teased and struggled far more than those who wore Invisalign. Our upcoming initiatives and next steps forward is guaranteed to propose more smiles among our happy teens.
The makers of Invisalign Teen Clear Aligners have teamed up with parenting expert and author, Erika Katz, to create "Unbrace Teen Confidence." This "teen-esteem" campaign is geared towards helping parents to better understand the stress their teens face on a daily basis. After all, memories fade and it has been quite some time since parental units can truly relate to the struggle – especially with contemporary circumstances and modern social conditions sabotaging a parent's efforts. Recently, a survey was conducted to understand the psyche and perspective of teens compared to their parents- representing most adults. By applying insights from the survey to real life scenarios, the hope was to analyze the difference in hormonal and physical activity in order to recognize the distinctions that occurred between the two. The Invisalign Teen Confidence Survey was aimed to improve the communication between parent and teens as they work towards building better confidence.
Unbrace Teen Confidence Statistics Show:
•48% of moms feel that their teen would not come to them to discuss concerns related to their self-acceptance and appearance.
•A startling 90% of teens feel judged by their peers.
•It's been discovered 96% of teenagers are not satisfied with their smile.
•54% of teens stated that life would be better without social media.
•40% of teens admitted that they feel their appearance is being judged more closely on social media then in person, which contributes to diminishing a teenager's self- confidence.
•2.3 million teens have been teased for having crooked teeth.
•Although many teens wished for a better smile, 93% worried about having to wear braces.
The reasons varied from not being able to eat certain foods, or do certain activities to the discomfort and pain braces would cause. But ultimately most were concerned about how they would look, not fitting in and being teased as well as how braces would look in pictures.
Cody Simpson w/ Dr. Jacquie Smiles: Do Something Org.
There is tremendous pressure for teens to look flawless the way their photo-shopped peers and favorite celebrities do. They are at an age where they naturally feel inadequate when comparing themselves to others. Celebrity orthodontist, Dr. Jacquie Smiles, along with the highly established, Do Something Organization has teamed up for a modern approach with Invisalign Teen, to help teens battle their insecurities. The clear aligners used with Invisalign Teen help straighten your child's teeth without the nuisance and embarrassment of traditional metal, wires and brackets, leaving your child feeling confident in their day to day activities and interactions with others. Smiling is good for you as a teenager. Why not wear it with confidence?
Positive self-esteem enables teens to cope with life's challenges, sending them toward a successful path in life, which acts as a buffer against negative influences.
It is important as a parent to understand your teen's desire to fit in and that will be the driving force behind many of their decisions. With high self -esteem, teenagers make better decisions. When your child is making the right choices, everyone will have a reason to flash a happy smile!
Invisalign Teen Clear Aligners are a smaller piece to a bigger puzzle in an adolescent's life. The smallest piece makes the biggest difference when it comes to a teenager's confidence. With the collaboration between Invisalign Teen, the Do Something: Unbrace Teen Confidence campaign, and the various supporters investing themselves in the lives of parents and teenagers hoping to make a difference in the confidence and self-esteem of today's youth, the road to confidence begins at the doorstep of expert orthodontist, Dr. Jacquie Smiles.
By sharing their research and working with experts and organizations that are committed to instilling confidence in our youth, they are working towards a bright future filled with brighter smiles!
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