Invisible Braces for Teens and Kids

Often even young people have serious and severe teeth and bite alignment issues that it warrants orthodontic intervention in order to prevent further dysfunction and problems later in life. That is why for some oral care practitioners it is a worthwhile move to perform interventional work early in life in order to redirect the existing adult teeth so that the ones destined to come in later will be able to come in correctly and not create even more misalignment. While invisible braces may not be the best choice for those with both baby and adult teeth, they are sometimes used for these tasks because for children it can be embarrassing and difficult to be the only one in one's class who has to have corrective appliances in their mouths.

For very young children it can be fun to pick the colored bands that go on their oral appliances. They like to choose fun holiday colors or those that support their favorite sport team. Once they get older and feel more self conscious if their dentist agrees to it they may choose to transition to invisible braces. This is because the appearance of these is far more discreet than those that are cemented onto the teeth. They are almost imperceptible when they are in and they can be removed for oral care or for eating. Some teens will opt to remove them for photographs at dances and other social events.

The other reason why invisible braces are sometimes counter indicated for young people is that for the same reason that some teens like them. Because they are removable some people do not wear them as often as they are supposed to. They take them out and don't put them back in or they take them out too often during the day. They can't work if they are not in and most orthodontists recommend that a person wear them at least 23 hours a day. That leaves very little in the way of wiggle room for keeping them out.

If a young person has the discipline and they have received all of their permanent dentition, then using invisible braces may be a way for them to quickly and almost unnoticeably improve their smile. Everyone knows how important a great smile is and we also know how much high school age people care about appearances. That means that not only do they want to have a great grin they also want to fit in and look like their friends.

For some kids the use of invisible braces offers them the smile revision they need for aesthetic and functional optimization but it may not be for every child. With proper self-discipline and a fully developed mouth it is a fantastic choice for orthodontic treatment so discuss it with their dentist and see if they are a good candidate.