If you have read a few of our previous blogs, you will be familiar with the benefits that Invisalign orthodontics can bring; not only straightening your teeth but also doing so in a way that is both discreet and convenient. Many patients of Blake Dental have had their teeth straightened this way and have been delighted with the results.
What perhaps fewer of you know though is that you can also use a version of these to straighten the teeth of young children, right through their teenage years. Using Invisalign for children is a great way to ensure that their teeth are nice and even while causing the least distress and inconvenience possible to them.
As with adults, it will be necessary to have your child assessed by one of our dentists to see if they will benefit from this method rather than using conventional braces. Most children will be able to have them. Our child friendly staff will be happy and able to explain to your child about how they work and what wearing them will require. Especially with younger children, parents will also need to take some responsibility to make sure that they wear them enough and don’t abuse the fact that they can be removed.
Having children’s teeth straightened isn’t so much about aesthetics, although it will improve this too. It is largely to ensure that there is sufficient space for new teeth to come through and to ensure that when they do, they can do so evenly and avoid the issues caused by having crooked teeth.
There are many reasons why traditional dental braces can be problematic for children. Not only can they break and also need regular adjustments, meaning more dental visits, but can also do significant harm to the child’s confidence. Name calling and bullying is unfortunately not uncommon with children who wear visible braces. Using Invisalign for kids eliminates this and many other issues.
In addition to being less visible, Invisalign braces are also removable when your child is eating. This is especially useful for children, who, as many parents will know, can be quite ‘faddy’ about what they will and won’t eat. If you have a child like this, it can be really problematic if they can’t eat their favourite food and may lead to tantrums and arguments as well as making their diet more restrictive. Using the removable Invisalign aligners resolves this problem and allows them to eat their usual favourite foods.
As the trays used are produced from scans and impressions of the child’s teeth, they offer a relatively comfortable way to straighten their teeth. This is important as they will still need to be worn for most of the day and night so comfort is a major factor.
Among the problems that this modern system can be used for are:
It can be difficult enough for adults to keep their teeth and gums clean when they are wearing traditional braces, with food sometimes becoming trapped in the wiring. Imagine how much worse it might be for younger children especially, who may be less diligent about cleaning their teeth thoroughly. The risks of tooth decay are very high, especially if you no longer supervise them when they brush their teeth.
The good news with the children’s Invisalign system is, like the adult version, they are made to be removed so that you can clean your teeth easily and thoroughly before replacing the trays.
Kids have a lot of energy and playing sports is popular for many of them. A surprisingly large number of traditional braces for children that get damaged, do so during a game of football or similar. This isn’t an issue with Invisalign trays and they can also be removed when you play, where appropriate, removing the potential for damage altogether.
As you can see, there are a lot of benefits to be had by using Invisalign if your child needs to have their teeth straightened. It is important that they are not only assessed for suitability physically, but also to see whether they will comply with what they need to do regarding wearing them for long enough each day. Some cleaning is also required of them too so all of this needs to be taken into account.
If you have a child who needs to have their teeth straightened but is refusing to wear ‘train track’ braces, we recommend that you have a discussion with our Invisalign children’s dentist at our Witham clinic who will be able to offer advice. If you would like to find out more about this, please do give Blake Dental a call on 01376 501688.
Design by Dental Media
Katie Annabel Blake trading as Blake Dental is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Financing First Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Katie Annabel Blake is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Financing First Limited may not be so authorised and regulated.
