Is Invisalign Right for your Child?

Invisalign is a discreet teeth-straightening treatment that uses a series of removable plastic aligners. It is available at a reputable dental clinic and popular among adults who want the luxury of an invisible treatment. But, a lot of parents are considering this treatment for their children.

Although Invisalign provides numerous benefits over traditional braces, each child is different and the treatment’s success will vary depending on some factors. Below are the benefits of Invisalign for kids and how dentists decide if it is right for your child:

How Invisalign can Benefit your Child

Unlike conventional braces, Invisalign is designed to be removed during teeth cleaning.  Thus, your child doesn’t have to make major adjustments to their regular dental routine. They can continuously keep their teeth clean and healthy and avoid tooth decay and gum disease.

Moreover, Invisalign must also be removed during every meal. Therefore, it does not restrict your child’s diet and not interfere with their daily life. Usually, kids and teens don’t like braces because of aesthetic reasons. In fact, many of them can feel self-conscious with braces or crooked teeth. But, Invisalign is nearly invisible so the possible source of anxiety will be eliminated. Lastly, Invisalign is usually more comfortable for children to wear and there is no risk of broken brace brackets.

Factors that Help Determine if Invisalign is Right for your Child

Although dentists don’t use specific criteria, below are general factors they consider to see if your child is a good candidate for Invisalign:

  • Age. While there is no specific age that determines when a child is right for Invisalign, older kids and teens are often more viable candidates. The aligners need to be worn 22 hours of the day, so your child must be mature enough to keep their trays in their mouth for the right amount of time.

Every Invisalign aligner tray comes with tiny blue compliance indicators that start to fade the more it is worn. This allows you and your child’s dentist to easily check that your little one wears their aligners frequently enough.

  • The position of the teeth. Invisalign is ideal for children who have lost all of their baby teeth and have a full set of permanent teeth. Although the second and third molars don’t need to have erupted, dentists check to ensure all of the permanent incisors and first molars have erupted through the gum. Often, they X-ray your child’s mouth to evaluate the teeth’s position and check how much space is needed for remaining teeth to come through.

Related Post