Does your child need orthodontic treatment to straighten her teeth? There are several types of appliances available these days. So, you’re probably not sure about which to choose. Well, lately, we’ve been fitting children with Invisalign.
What is Invisalign?
The Invisalign system consists of a series of clear overlay templates, otherwise known as “aligners.” Your orthodontist will use proprietary software to map out your child’s smile to ensure that her teeth move in the right order and at the right time. The aligners need to be changed every one to two weeks and, for the planned results, worn for 22 hour a day.
Why might Invisalign be right for your child?
Invisalign aligners are almost invisible, which explains why, at Totara Orthodontists, most of our Invisalign patients have been image-conscious adults. Lately, though, we have been fitting more children with the system, and not just for aesthetic reasons.
Your child can eat what she likes
Let’s face it: Kids are eating machines. What they put into their mouths, though, can damage standard braces — nuts, chewing gum and potato chips, etc., are to be avoided. So, for kids, a key reason for choosing Invisalign is that the system allows them to eat anything they want. You see, without the wires and brackets of standard braces, Invisalign has far fewer things to break. Most importantly, though, whenever your child wants to eat, all she has to do is remove her aligners.
Remember that your child must wear her aligners for 22 hours per day. You can make sure that she is wearing them enough by checking blue compliance indicators on the aligners.
Invisalign aligners are easy to clean
Navigating wires can make standard braces challenging to clean. As already mentioned, though, Invisalign aligners are easy to remove, which makes cleaning simple.
Steps for cleaning aligners:
- To prevent bacteria growth, rinse them every time you take them out.
- Soak your aligners in denture cleaner or Invisalign cleaning crystals.
- Brush them with a soft toothbrush to remove plaque.
What if my child loses an aligner?
Not only are kids eating machines, but they also have a ‘bad rep’ for losing things. The reality, though, is that most kids only wear Invisalign for seven to ten days before changing aligners. So, if they do misplace an aligner, in most cases, they can just move on to the next one, rather than needing to get new aligners.
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