Invisalign clear aligners are very convenient and nearly undetectable, making them a great choice for teens and adults. Unfortunately, they aren’t for everyone, and children are typically better off with more traditional orthodontic treatment options for a variety of reasons.
Here at Guildford Orthodontics, parents sometimes ask us why we don't prescribe Invisalign clear alingers for children. These are typically parents of kids who are worried about how their braces will look, or parents think their kids may struggle to maintain sufficient oral hygiene with metal braces.
But there are a few very important reasons that Invisalign isn't the right choice for young children.
We don’t prescribe Invisalign to children because of their age and maturity level. Because they are young, they are usually less willing or able to be responsible with these removable aligners.
Kids are more likely to remove their aligners when they shouldn’t. If they feel uncomfortable or sore, they're more likely than adults to let frustration get to them and just take their aligners out.
This is a problem for two of reasons. The most important one is that it can severely curtail the progress of their treatment, and even damage their teeth.
Just because Invisalign aligners are removable, doesn’t mean that the Invisalign treatment process is calibrated and scheduled less carefully. Invisalign aligners are meant to be worn full time, and only removed to eat, or for brushing and flossing teeth. Anything more can slow down or even reverse the progress being made.
Children are also a bit more likely to lose or damage their aligners while playing. Lost or damaged aligners will again cause the progress of treatment to get off track.