Is Invisalign Recommended for Children and Teens?

In reality, not many people consider orthodontics as a priority specialized dental treatment out there, even though it continues to rise in popularity among children, adults, and teenagers alike due to increased affordability and efficiency, especially when considering solutions such as Invisalign First or Invisalign for teenagers.

Still, Enid orthodontic treatment is highly beneficial to patients of all ages because of its role in promoting good oral health. Ultimately, well-aligned teeth are far easier to keep clean than crooked teeth. Many patients already struggle to use dental floss correctly. Can you imagine the added difficulty of doing so when your teeth are bunched up?

A well-aligned smile from an early age can help develop a good oral health routine, keep good habits, and prevent dental health problems as each person ages.

What Is the Best Age to Start Orthodontic Treatment?

While there is no age limit to start your orthodontic treatment, there is certainly one age that’s best to start it. Please consider that the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends parents take their children to a qualified orthodontist by age 7.

Please, don’t think that visiting a dental alignment specialist by that age necessarily means starting to wear traditional metal braces or clear aligners Enid. However, what will be crucial is that your kid can count on professional help to oversee their dental development and take any required action when it’s most efficient.

Starting Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment

When it comes to age-appropriate orthodontic care, you should know that two-phase orthodontic treatment is the best you can do for your kid. The orthodontist begins phase I treatment as a way to review your kid’s dental development and help detect any problems before they can do much damage to your kid’s teeth.

In reality, the goal of Enid’s Two-Phase orthodontic treatment is to correct jaw growth problems, restore proper function, and promote good oral health.

While your kids’ orthodontist reviews your child’s dental development with the help of periodic X-rays and in-office consultations, they will begin suggesting potential treatment options to address any concerning signs.

Then begins phase II, which may not always be necessary. This part of your child’s treatment is what most people know of orthodontics. We say child here, but this phase starts after age 11 when your kid is becoming a teenager and has already lost all their primary teeth.

This portion of your teenager’s treatment is when they get an orthodontic appliance that gradually and efficiently realigns their teeth and jaws. Let’s take a closer look at some of the appliances patients might use during either phase of their early orthodontic treatment Enid.

Invisalign First

Invisalign offers a special solution for younger patients who need more help keeping track of their treatment progress to ensure peak efficiency. These BPA-free plastic trays also come with special indicators that change colors to let the kid know how long it will be until they have to swap to their new set of trays. Likewise, the set will come with additional trays to account for potential orthodontic emergencies where your kid might lose or misplace their clear aligners.

Invisalign for Teenagers

Invisalign clear aligners for teenagers don’t have as many differences with their traditional counterparts but do have considerable advantages over conventional dental alignment appliances, such as metal braces.

Teenagers love the idea of wearing Invisalign clear aligners because they are removable and incredibly discreet when compared with traditional metal braces Enid. As a parent, you’ll have to help your teenager remember they can’t take off their trays on a whim. Please help them remember they have to wear their clear aligner trays for 20 to 22 hours per day. Consult with Dr. Williams about what they should do with their trays during mealtimes and what are the best ways to avoid misplacing the trays.

How to Clean Invisalign Trays?

Oral hygiene will always be essential for our oral health. This is no exception during orthodontic treatment. Fortunately, it will be a lot easier for patients wearing Invisalign trays to keep good oral hygiene, but half of this work has to do with keeping the trays as clean as possible.

Here are a few things you can do to keep clear aligner trays clean:

Rinse With Lukewarm Water

Even though clear aligner trays are custom-made for each patient, there are still a few ridges and crevices where leftover food particles can become stuck. The best thing to do is place your aligner trays under running lukewarm water to get rid of excess food particles. Please remember to use lukewarm or cold water to avoid warping the trays, as hot water will alter the shape of your aligners.

Use a Soft-Bristled Toothbrush

You’ll still want to use a toothbrush to help brush the trays just as you would your teeth. However, we would highly suggest you use a soft-bristled toothbrush that won’t scratch your aligners and damage them over time. Find a soft-bristled toothbrush to help keep everything clean.

Avoid Abrasive Toothpaste

Just as with the description of the right toothbrush, you’ll want to avoid anything that could potentially scratch and damage your aligners or create more ridges where unwanted bacteria and food particles get lodged.

Get Your Teenager’s Smile Checked By Enid’s Best Orthodontist

The best thing you can do is to act now and take your kid or teenager to a board-certified orthodontist in Enid that can help achieve the best results in the most efficient and safe way possible.

Set your appointment right here to ensure you get the best in orthodontic care at the right time. We’re thrilled to welcome you to our Enid orthodontic office and get this journey started!