Posted on February 27, 2024
Your pediatric dentist may have indicated that it would be a good idea for your to child see an orthodontist to have their teeth straightened. This isn’t for purely aesthetic reasons; improperly aligned teeth can cause problems with both eating and talking. They may have mentioned Invisalign aligners. Here’s what the process looks like!
This is where the orthodontist will determine if your child would be better with Invisalign aligners or with braces. It depends on the state of their teeth at the time. If there are a lot of crooked teeth, the aligners might not be strong enough to shift things to where they should be. Braces are better for that.
If the orthodontist has determined that your child is a candidate for the aligners, they will take a lot of measurements of your child’s mouth. Technology allows them to do this digitally instead of having to have them bite into something to make an impression. Those measurements will then be sent to the aligner company where they will create a series of mouthpieces for your child that will gradually shift their teeth into the correct position.
The orthodontist will then coordinate with the aligner company. Before they create the mouthpieces, they will show, via mock-up, how they will shift the teeth. That way, they can make sure that they have a solid plan in place.
Now comes the fun part, the wait. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, you can expect to wait roughly six weeks for the aligners to be sent to the orthodontist’s office.
Your child will try on the first set of aligners. It may take a bit of work, but it will eventually fit. They may get a beginner’s set while waiting, just so they get a feel for what it’s like to take it on and off. Then they will change the set depending on how aggressively you want the teeth to be shifted. It could be every week, 10 days, or two weeks. This could go on for a year or more.
Do you want a great smile for either yourself or your child? We’re an orthodontic office that can provide either braces or Invisalign aligners. Contact Lineberger Orthodontics today to learn more about what we can do for you.