Can a 12 year old use invisalign?

I have a daughter that recently turned twelve. She has all her permanent teeth. Is it possible for her to get invisalign?

Sara  L. – Pennsylvania

Sara,

It may be physically possible for your daughter to use Invisalign at twelve, depending on her specific case. However, I want to caution you about a couple of things.  There are some great advantages of invisalign over traditional braces.  One of the biggest for teens is the ease of oral hygiene. Many teens have a lot of trouble getting their teeth clean enough with all those metal and wires.  Even those who had never previously had cavities, often end up with decay problems with braces.  Because Invisalign is removable, it makes it ideal for keeping their teeth clean easily.

That advantage is also a problem. They’re removable. It is a rare twelve year old who will not lose their aligners. You also have to consider compliance.  She’ll have to keep the aligners in for 22 hours out of the day for the treatment to be effective.

If you think she can handle that responsibility, then Invisalign may work for her.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.