Is there an age requirement for Invisalign?

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Is there an age requirement for Invisalign?

Invisalign trays correct the misaligned teeth within the smile using computer-aided technology to map and correct any out-of-place teeth.

Who can have Invisalign treatment?

Invisalign has created two systems. Invisalign First is a treatment that children aged 6 and 10 can have. This early-year orthodontic solution is ideal for correcting alignment at the beginning of their tooth-growing journey.

The main difference between Invisalign and Invisalign First is that Invisalign First can accommodate for the baby teeth still present within the mouth. The concept is, that the teeth can be navigated into alignment at an earlier stage which prevents any issues such as a narrow arch or overcrowded teeth from affecting their oral health.

Conversely, those who are 50+ are equally able to utilise the Invisalign treatment. Treatment has no age limit. Those who are older may find that orthodontic treatment is able to correct some of the dental issues caused by ageing, i.e. shifting teeth.  

Older patients may find alignment takes slightly longer to achieve, this is due to the lack of growth and movement within the bones and teeth.

Is there an optimal age to have orthodontic treatment?

Orthodontic treatments like Invisalign work for people across all age groups. The duration of treatment will be determined on a case-by-case basis, with factors like tooth positioning playing a large role in this.

The best age to treat the teeth, in theory, is between the ages of 10-15, when the adult teeth are completely growing through into their final positions. Using Invisalign at an earlier age mitigates the risks from dental issues, whilst also setting the adult teeth into a new position.

There are a handful of elements that make for the ideal age to proceed with orthodontics including:

Jawbone development: Children and teens are still growing and developing the bones in their bodies. This can influence the approach taken by the orthodontist. For example, if there is an underdeveloped upper jaw, the alignment process can accommodate to that, pulling the necessary teeth forward to realign the bite.

Orthodontics needs: Depending on how complex the issues are with the teeth, alignment may need to be done earlier or later in life. An example of this would be, minor issues like crowding can be dealt with sooner, whilst issues with the jaw like a severe underbite would need pre-treatment to correct the jaw before orthodontic treatment is used.

The rate of eruption: Though Invisalign does not require all the adult teeth to have erupted, this impacts the effectiveness of treatment. The fewer baby teeth remaining in the mouth is ideal as it will solidify the position of permanent teeth.