From the Blog

Why Shouldn't Children Use Invisalign?

Why Shouldn't Children Use Invisalign?

While Invisalign clear aligners are a great choice for teens and adults, they aren’t for everyone. For a few important reasons, children in particular are typically better off with more traditional orthodontic treatment options.

At Austin Heights Orthodontics, we're occasionally asked why we don't prescribe Invisalign clear aligners for children. The parents who ask us about this are usually concerned about how their braces will look, or of kids who may struggle to maintain sufficient oral hygiene with metal braces.

Invisalign isn't the right choice for young children for a few important reasons.

We don’t prescribe Invisalign for children due to their age and maturity level. Their youth means that typically, kids just aren't as capable of being sufficiently responsible with these removable aligners.

Kids are more likely than adults to let frustration get to them and just take their aligners out when they're feeling sure or uncomfortable.

This is a problem first and foremost because taking aligners out regularly or for extended periods of time can severely delay treatment progress, and can even damage the teeth.

Invisalign aligners are removable, but ultimately they are meant to be worn full time and only removed only to eat, or for brushing and flossing teeth. Anything more can impede or even reverse the progress being made.

Children are also somewhat more likely to lose or damage their aligners than adults or teens are. And when aligners are lost or damaged, it will of course slow down the progress of treatment.

If you have questions or concerns about the right orthodontic treatment options for your child, contact Austin Heights Orthodontics to book a consultation. We’ll help you make the right choice for your child.