Invisalign is a well-established and revolutionary technology that allows your dentist in San Bernardino to straighten your teeth without the use of unsightly brackets and wires. If you are considering Invisalign treatment for yourself or a family member, then you may wonder whether age is a factor that you should consider.
Is There a Best Age for Invisalign Treatment?
The truth is that anyone can use Invisalign. The technology has even been updated to include multiple phases that can be used to prevent more serious malocclusion in younger children as their adult teeth start to come in.
With that said, the maturity of the child is definitely worth consideration if you’re planning to use Invisalign with anyone under the age of 18.
How Does Invisalign Work?
When you get Invisalign in San Bernardino, your dentist will take molds of your mouth to start the process. These molds are used to create a series of trays that will fit over your upper and lower arches. Each tray is designed to very slightly push teeth that are out of position into a better one.
As your teeth move, your dentist will gradually switch the trays you’re using to move your teeth closer and closer to their final position. This process can take many months depending on the severity of the malocclusion and how diligently you wear your trays.
In fact, how often you wear your trays is such an important part of the processes’ success that it might cause you to choose traditional braces for younger or less responsible children who may remove the trays more frequently for longer periods of time.
The Benefits of Invisalign
Invisalign comes with two major benefits.
First, the trays are clear, which makes them more difficult to see. When you’re wearing them, the majority of people won’t even notice that you have them on. You can skip the awkward pictures and colorful rubber bands entirely.
Second, they are completely removable. Having the option of taking out your trays allows you to eat more comfortably and makes daily dental hygiene far simpler. You won’t have to worry about what foods could get stuck in your braces or possibly cause a bracket to break.
The Risks of Invisalign
The risks of Invisalign are essentially null as long as you wear them diligently and take responsibility for your trays. The only major risks are that you could misplace your trays or fail to wear them enough for them to be fully effective. As such, the downsides of Invisalign are in your control.
With that said, this is why Invisalign may not be the ideal choice for children or even some teens. For Invisalign aligners to be most effective, you have to wear your trays for 22 hours per day. That may seem feasible, but the moment you factor in meals and time for dental hygiene it essentially means that your aligners should be on your teeth every second that you aren’t actively eating or cleaning your teeth.
Achieving that standard can be very challenging for children and teens who may be more likely to leave their aligners out for a while after meals or simply take them out whenever they’re causing discomfort. Given that these behaviors could add months to a child’s treatment, it’s an important factor to consider.
Deciding on the Appropriate Age for Invisalign
As long as your adult teeth have come in enough to support Invisalign, there’s no medical reason that you can’t use this method at any age. However, that does not necessarily mean that Invisalign is the best choice for younger children and teens. To make an informed decision, discuss the issue with your dentist and reflect on your own child’s tendencies.
