Clear aligners are an alternative treatment to braces for teeth straightening. They have been successfully used to treat bite, jaw and other dental development issues in children for several years.
We love working with children to help them get the best possible start with their oral health.
Using minimally-invasive and removable clear aligners, orthodontic anomalies can be nipped in the bud early on in your child’s life. This can make a really huge difference to their early life, giving them the springboard to enjoy a childhood untroubled by complications related to tooth and jaw misalignment issues.
Clear Aligners for Children
What are clear aligners for children, and how do they work?
Clear aligners are an alternative treatment to braces for teeth straightening. They have been successfully used to treat bite, jaw and other dental development issues in children for several years.
Dr Mafalda and her team are known for their patience, expertise and skill when delivering life-changing clear aligner treatment to children.
Early orthodontic assessments can be carried out when your child reaches the age of 5, whilst treatment can start once they reach the age of 6.
Teeth straightening for children – going beyond happy smiles
Early intervention to address the position of your child’s teeth and how they erupt can have a transformative knock-on effect on their lives in the future.
Addressing issues such as bite, tooth alignment and jaw abnormalities is clinically proven to improve breathing and posture, amongst other pathologies.
What’s more, treating these issues early can help your child confront feelings of self-doubt and self-confidence your child may develop as a result of living with an abnormal tooth structure, which is a priceless gift that will keep on giving for years to come.
The benefits of treatment
Ideal for busy parents: Clear aligners are prone to fewer instances of damage compared with traditional braces, which reduces the risk of repeated appointments to have the appliance repaired.
Suitable for a variety of orthodontic problems.
Addresses issues that improve your child’s well-being as a whole.
Supports teeth and jaw development.
No limitations on diet: Your child can eat their normal diet, removing the aligners between meals.
How it works
Initial Complimentary consultation: Our dedicated team will take you through the advantages and limitations of treatment with clear aligners and ask you a few questions about your children’s lifestyle and routine. Our team will be able to answer any questions you have about treatment.
Clinical Assessment with the dentist to confirm suitability: Once Dr Mafalda has given the green light on clear aligners and you and your child are happy to proceed, photos and X-rays can be taken to create a bespoke treatment plan for your child.
The Aligners: Your children’s aligners are made and sent back to us at the practice. They are then ready to start their treatment, changing them over every 1-2 weeks (on average, depending on their treatment plan). We will ask you and your child to come in and see us every 6-12 weeks for progress check-ups.
The Results: Once the teeth have reached their final pre-planned position, a retainer is worn to minimize unwanted tooth movement.
Supporting parents and children alike
We encourage parents to reach out to us if they are having difficulty motivating their children to wear their aligners or to comply with the other stipulations of treatment. This said children tend to be the most compliant patients we have!
Removable treatment with clear aligners works successfully only when the aligners are worn for the recommended time by the dentist (this is usually 22 hours).
We fully support parents and children and can provide tried-and-tested advice on how best to oversee your child’s teeth straightening journey.
Mouth breathing and teeth and jaw development
How does mouth breathing affect your child’s lifestyle?
Children who breathe through their mouth very often are experiencing abnormal jaw/skeletal development in their growth years. When caught early, treatment with clear aligners can prevent the need for more invasive treatments (including surgeries) later on in your child’s life, and reduce the symptoms that can place physiological and emotional stress on them as they grow.
With this in mind, mouth breathing is a significant issue, the treatment of which can benefit your child in a myriad of ways.
We recommend bringing your child in for an assessment if you have noticed any of the following signs:
Blocked nose and narrow airways
Bedwetting
Head hyperextension during sleep to allow air to go through the mouth
Sleepiness during the day/bags under the eyes
Hyperactivity, ADHA and low performance at school
Nightmares and night terrors
Bruxism (grinding of the teeth)
More cavities, swollen gums and bad breath
Dry lips and incompetent lips (not closed at rest)
Crowded teeth is a condition where you do not have enough room for your teeth to fit normally. This can cause plaque or tartar and other harmful bacteria to build up as it is harder for you to brush and floss well.
Gaps between teeth
Gaps between teeth is when there is extra space between two or more of your teeth. This can cause pockets between your teeth and gums and can cause food to get stuck making them tender and sore. This might also lead to gum disease.
Open bite
An Open bite is when your upper and lower teeth don't touch when you close your mouth. An open bite can make it hard for you to chew or difficult to bite even the most common of food like apples.
Underbite
An underbite is when you close your mouth and your lower front teeth are in front of your upper teeth. In many cases, this is actually a problem with your lower jaw being too far forward. An underbite can make it hard to chew properly and speak clearly, and it might cause your teeth to wear down more quickly.
Overbite
An overbite is when your upper front teeth overlap with your lower front teeth. Most people have at least a little overbite. When your overbite is too large, your doctor might tell you you have a deep bite. This can cause problems, from your teeth wearing down to pain in your jaw.
Crossbite
A crossbite is when you close your mouth and yet some of your upper teeth are sitting inside your
lower teeth rather than on the outside. A crossbite can make your teeth wear down or chip. It can also make your gums start to recede or make little notches above your gum line. This kind of damage can lead to painful gum problems or even bone loss.
At The York Dental Suite, we use only market-leading brands supported by reputable clinical research. We offer both Angel® and Invisalign® aligners for teeth straightening with clear aligners.
2. Does my child need treatment?
Our children’s range of clear aligners starts from the age of 6, by which time we can detect if treatment is yet clinically necessary.
An early orthodontic assessment should take place no later than 6 years of age to assess a child’s breathing, tongue position, how they eat and how the teeth are positioned.
An investigation into the presence and size of tonsils is usually carried out at this stage to determine if a referral to ENT is required for further investigation – this is specifically for children whose mouths breathe, which can be debilitating as they age.
Dr Mafalda will carry out not just a full examination of your child’s teeth, but investigations into how they breathe, where their tongue sits in the mouth, and how they eat.
Once this investigation is complete, our team can determine if your child will benefit from orthodontic treatment.
3. How long does treatment take with clear aligners for children?
There are a variety of factors that determine but, on average 10-18 months.
4. How old does a child need to be to start treatment?
Children are eligible for clear aligners from the age of 6.
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