If you are a parent who is considering Invisalign as a way to straighten your child’s teeth, then keep reading to find all the answers to your questions!
How Soon Can Invisalign Be Started for Kids?
In the past, kids needed to lose all their baby teeth before they could start any orthodontic treatment. While that traditional way of straightening teeth is still available, advances in dental technology have made it possible for Lyons Orthodontics to treat kids at a younger age!
Dr. Tim Lyons explains that the new way to treat kids involves using Invisalign aligners which are specifically designed to address the needs of kids. The primary objective of these devices is to enlarge the arch of kids’ mouths. This means that an orthodontist in El Dorado Hills can start treating your child as young as seven years old.
Will the Child’s Snack and Meal Options Have to Change?
The experts at Lyons Orthodontics are very much aware of the difficulty of providing braces-friendly snacks and meals to children with braces.
However, you do not need to worry about providing different snacks for your child using Invisalign aligners! Your child can still eat everything that they used to eat because the Invisalign aligners can be removed at mealtimes and then put back after the meal.
Will I Have to Buy Special Dental Care Products?
When you get your child started on Invisalign Teen, they will continue to brush and floss as they did before the orthodontic treatment. Therefore, once your child leaves Lyons Orthodontics with a set of aligners, you will not have to buy anything else to maintain the child’s dental hygiene!
The Invisalign kit has everything you will need for your child’s treatment because the orthodontic devices are designed to be complete systems, unlike the traditional metal braces that require you to buy an angled toothbrush and special flossing thread.
How Does the Cost of Invisalign Compare With the Cost of Metal Braces?
When Invisalign was first brought to the market, the device was more costly compared to traditional metal braces. However, as dental technology has advanced, the cost of these clear aligners have reduced.
Additionally, our Fair Oaks orthodontist accepts all major dental care PPOs! Many of these cover a portion of the Invisalign cost. You can also talk to Dr. Tim Lyons about available payment plans if you are partially insured or not insured at all.
How Can My Kid Maintain the Aligners?
We asked our friend, Dr. Christopher Green, a dentist in Parker, Colorado, about maintaining Invisalign aligners. Dr. Green recommends that you teach your child how to brush and rinse the aligners in lukewarm water each day in order to keep them clean. He says it is also helpful to ask the child to refrain from chewing gum with the aligners on because this could damage them. Remember to ask your dentist about a case for the aligners. This will provide a safe container for the aligners, and your child will be less likely to misplace or lose them.
What Can Be Done If My Child Lost Their Aligner Set?
If your child were to lose his or her Invisalign aligner set, contact Lyons Orthodontics immediately. The orthodontist will assess your child and either issue a replacement set of aligners, or even switch to the next set if your child was close to the date when the switch was due to be made.
For the best treatment outcomes, Dr. Tim Lyons advises that your child keep the Invisalign aligners on for at least 20 hours each day. You can even monitor how well your child is adhering to this requirement by checking the blue indicators on the aligners. These fade as they react with saliva, so a set of aligners which is worn for fewer hours will not exhibit a significant change in the color on the indicator. Visit Dr. Tim Lyons, a Folsom orthodontist, for more information about how Invisalign Teen can be useful for your child!