I was wondering what is the youngest age someone can be and still use Invisalign?  My 14 year old daughter needs braces, but she says she really wants invisalign. Actually, she says she’ll die if she has to wear anything other than invisalign. So I need to know if she is even old enough. Please save me from teen drama.

Breanne- Indiana

Breanne,

Well, rest easy. It is safe for teens to use Invisalign. They have a brand specific to them called Invisalign teen. There are a few qualifications. For a teen to use them they need to have already lost all their baby teeth. It is also important that their second molars be at least partially erupted. If all that is in order, than it is just a matter of having a dentist look at her mouth to see if her case is compatible with Invisalign.  Most cases are, so there is a good chance she’ll be fine. If she’s not for some reason, at least this way the dentist will be the bad guy and not you.

There is something to consider. Invisalign has a lot of positives: It is invisable, it works in a fraction of the time as traditional braces, it is much more comfortable than those wires and brackets. However, the one real negative is individual responsibility. The aligners are removable. Patients take them out to eat, as well as brush and floss their teeth. Though for most that is a positive because it makes personal hygiene much easier, sometimes for teens this can be a negative.

You know your daughter better than anyone else. If she is responsible and you’re sure she’ll keep the aligners in the whole time she’s supposed to and won’t lose them, then I don’t foresee any problems. They’re an excellent way to deal with crooked or bucked teeth. Just bear in mind they can’t work if she isn’t wearing them as much as is required.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.