For those looking into Invisalign teeth aligners for themselves or their child, one of several factors you'll be looking into will be how long they need to be worn for. And while many wish there was a singular answer here, that isn't the case; rather, how long Invisalign products should be worn will depend on a number of factors specific to the wearer.
At Hillfield Pediatric & Family Dentistry, Invisalign products are just some of the wide-ranging orthodontics services we offer to clients of varying age ranges. What are the key variables that impact how long you or your child needs to wear their Invisalign aligners? Here are several in this two-part blog series.
Firstly, let's go over some of the key reasons why Invisalign products are so popular among both children and adults. In many cases, people choose Invisalign over other options such as traditional braces for several reasons, including their relative invisibility, the fact that they can be removed for eating and cleaning, and greater comfort compared to other choices.
How long do they need to be worn for? Our next several sections will go over the important factors that determine this.
One of the more significant variables in the Invisalign timeline is the age of the person wearing them. Generally speaking, younger patients will have to wear their Invisalign product for a shorter time than adults.
This is due to a few reasons. First and foremost, children's teeth are still growing and changing, which means that they may not be entirely done moving into place even by the time they reach adulthood. Additionally, younger patients' bones are also still growing, which can impact how quickly their teeth move as well.
For these reasons, it's important to note that the Invisalign timeline may need to be revisited as your child gets older; in other words, they may need to wear them for a bit longer if their teeth continue to shift even after they've completed treatment.
Another key factor that can impact the Invisalign timeline is the size of the gaps in the teeth. Obviously, the larger the gaps, the longer it will take to close them.
That being said, it's important to keep in mind that Invisalign can be used for more than just closing gaps; it can also be used to help with crowding, overbites, and underbites, among other things. As such, even if you or your child doesn't have large gaps, Invisalign may still be the right choice for you.
In part two of our series, we'll look at some of the other elements that help determine how long Invisalign aligners need to be worn for to carry out their intended purpose. For more on this, or to learn about any of our family or general dentistry services, speak to our team at Hillfield Pediatric & Family Dentistry today.
