Yes — children can have aligners
Parents are usually surprised to hear it, but there is an aligner system designed specifically for children. Invisalign First® is not an adult tray scaled down: the aligners are shaped to fit a smaller mouth with baby teeth still present, and they can work around teeth that have not fully erupted.
It is designed for roughly age 7 to 10, while the adult teeth are arriving and the jaw is still growing.
What early treatment is actually for
Early treatment is about guiding growth, not only straightening teeth. Crowding, excessive spacing, a crossbite and protruding front teeth are all easier to influence while the jaw can still be guided.
Invisalign First® does not widen the upper jaw on its own — for a narrow arch it is used alongside a palatal expander. But used together, they can create room and correct a growth problem so that a later phase is shorter, and occasionally unnecessary.
What it asks of your child
Aligners need around 20 to 22 hours of wear a day to work. That is the honest trade-off against braces, which work regardless.
Children tend to do well with them — they are removable, comfortable, and come out for meals. We monitor wear at each visit and will tell you if we think braces would give a more reliable result for your child.
Book the complimentary exam. Photographs, an x-ray, a digital iTero scan and a written plan with fees — at no charge, with no obligation to treat. Book a time or call (615) 814-4884.