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What are Clear Aligners (And Does Your Child Need Them?)

We know you put a lot of effort into your kid's dental care. Juggling work, school, and play dates can be exhausting, let alone staying on top of your children's doctor and dental appointments.

But with National Facial Protection Month around the corner, it's a good reminder of how essential it is to prepare your child for outdoor physical activity, and to protect their teeth in the process.

One of the most effective ways to give them a confident smile is with clear aligners. Like traditional braces, clear aligners are used to straighten crooked teeth. They can also help with other oral health problems like under bites, overbites, and more.

At Children's Choice, we've partnered with Invisalign® to provide your children with comfortable and affordable options to both straighten and protect their teeth, giving them an incredible smile for years to come.

Some clear aligners can even double as protective mouthguards, which can come in handy during sports season.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about the best clear aligners for your kids, and how they can help straighten and protect your child's teeth.

What Are Clear Aligners?

Clear aligners are clear plastic trays that are custom-fitted to your child's teeth and are worn throughout the day. The technology allows the device to shift your child's teeth without brackets or wires.

Clear aligners are convenient and easy to use. Unlike traditional braces, your child can remove these while eating and drinking.

In some cases, they may move teeth faster than traditional braces, giving your child less time in that orthodontist's chair and more time to play.

Clear aligners are BPA-free and approved by the FDA, so you can rest easy knowing that your child's device is safe to use.

The aligners are also very thin, snug, and invisible–giving your child more confidence in social situations and at school.

What Do Clear Aligners Do?

Using scans of your child's mouth, your dentist or orthodontist will create a custom-fit set of plastic trays for your child to wear.

Wearing the device throughout the day (except for while eating meals and brushing) provides gentle and constant pressure, moving crooked teeth with control and comfort.

While every smile is unique, this treatment has been scientifically proven to provide more reliable results than traditional metal braces.

What Are the Benefits of Clear Aligners?

While your child might not be prepping for an important job interview any time soon, they still benefit tremendously from the confidence boost of straight teeth.

Many children report having more friends and positive overall social interactions when they feel good about their smile. Aligners are see-through, allowing them to smile as much as they want with confidence and ease.

The process is also less painful than braces, as there are metal wires to be tightened.

Children who wear clear aligners will also enjoy getting their dream smile faster. Treatment is usually 12 to 18 months, though you and your child may notice subtle results as soon as a few weeks.

This also means less visits to the orthodontist and less of a hit on your family budget!

What's the Difference Between Clear Aligners and Invisalign?

Invisalign is the most popular brand of clear aligners. All versions of clear aligners and Invisalign share the same technology.

The fitted transparent trays straighten teeth in a less noticeable way by applying constant low-grade pressure to move teeth into place.

The main difference between Invisalign vs. other clear aligner systems is that Invisalign is delivered under the supervision of a trained clinician. Invisalign also comes with additional software and cutting-edge technologies that allow your orthodontist to better project the final movement of teeth.

While other clear aligners can be as effective as Invisalign, they don't always include these added tools.

To sum it up, Invisalign are clear aligners, but not all clear aligners are Invisalign.

Can Clear Aligners Help Protect My Child's Mouth?

In some cases, clear aligners can actually work as additional mouth protection.

While the purpose of the aligners is primarily to straighten teeth, your orthodontist can use the same method of taking 3D photos of your child's mouth to make a custom mouthguard for contact sports.

Many experts suggest removing clear aligners or Invisalign and opting for a regular mouthguard during activities like hockey, soccer, and other fast-paced sports.

However, when aligners are worn 20-22 hours a day (including when sleeping), they can protect your child from grinding their teeth at night.

This can ease jaw pain and can retrain your child's muscles that are responsible for teeth grinding.

Ready to Help Your Child Get Their Dream Smile

If you're ready to see fast results and help your child boost their self-esteem, clear aligners are effective and discrete.

Schedule your complimentary Invisalign® evaluation today!

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