Braces vs Clear Aligners for Kids & Teens

Your teen may arrive with a firm opinion about braces before we have even looked at their teeth. They prefer trays that barely show, while you are wondering whether those trays will spend more time in a backpack than in their mouth. Before choosing between braces and clear aligners, though, we need to see how the teeth line up and meet. Then we can talk about what your child would need to do each day with either option.

At Pearls Orthodontics in Pflugerville, Texas, we offer metal braces, ceramic braces, Invisalign Teen, and Invisalign First for younger children who need early treatment. Ask us the questions that come up at home as you compare the options. Maybe your child snacks throughout the afternoon or often loses small things. If trays will stay out through several afternoon snacks, we can talk about changing that routine or choosing braces.

How Braces and Aligners Move Teeth

Braces use brackets attached to the teeth and a wire that connects them. As we adjust the wire, pressure moves teeth while the bone around their roots gradually changes to let them move. Some children also need rubber bands to help the upper and lower teeth meet correctly. If your child needs elastics, we will show them where to hook them and when to wear them.

If your teen likes the idea of less noticeable treatment but would rather avoid removable trays, ask about ceramic braces. Their clear ceramic brackets blend in more than metal brackets while staying attached to the teeth. However, they still need the same care around food and cleaning. We can show your child both options so they can see what they would be wearing.

Clear aligners move teeth through a series of custom trays. Your child wears each set for the time we recommend, then changes to the next when we advise (a common schedule is every 1-2 weeks). Small tooth-colored attachments may help the trays grip the teeth, and some patients need elastics as well. During visits, we check whether the trays fit and the teeth are moving as expected. Although teeth only move 0.25 mm to 0.33 mm a week with clear aligners, that change adds up quick! Invisalign’s ClinCheck software makes it even easier to visualize.

Which Option Fits Your Child’s Bite

We check for crowded teeth and gaps, then look at how the upper and lower teeth meet. Dr. Patricia Ortiz Diaz looks for a deep overlap, an open bite where teeth do not meet, or a crossbite where some upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth. If the jaws are still growing, that can affect when we start and whether your child needs another appliance. For example, some children need an expander to widen a narrow upper jaw before later alignment treatment.

With braces, we can adjust individual teeth and make some movements that are harder to achieve with trays. Aligners can straighten crowded teeth, close gaps, and correct some bite problems. For certain movements, though, we may need elastics, another appliance, or braces. After the exam, we will explain which options can move the teeth where they need to go. If either option can work, your child’s preferences and daily habits can help you decide. Some teens would rather change what they eat than keep taking trays out and putting them back in.

For younger children, we may recommend watching the bite as permanent teeth come in. If we recommend starting early, we will explain what needs to change now and what can wait. Early treatment may make room for incoming teeth or correct a bite problem while the jaws grow. Your child may still need braces or aligners later, once more permanent teeth have come in.

Daily Wear and Remembering the Trays

Braces stay on during lunch, so there is nothing to take out and put back afterward. However, your child may still need to replace elastics, clean around brackets, and avoid foods that can break them. A loose bracket or missed adjustment can slow progress. If something breaks, contact us so we can decide whether it needs repair before the next visit.

Your child will usually need to wear aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day. We will give you the wear schedule before treatment starts. Your teen may remember the trays all day at school, then leave them out through an evening of snacking. If your teen tends to forget something once it’s out of sight, bring that up before starting. We can go through a normal school day with you, including where the case goes and when the trays go back in.

For school, keep the case where your child can find it before lunch. Trays wrapped in a napkin are easy to throw away when the table gets cleared. The same pocket or lunchbox compartment can work, as long as the case goes home and comes back the next day. If a tray does go missing, call us before switching to another set.

Eating and Cleaning During Treatment

With braces, a crisp apple needs slicing, and corn is easier on the brackets when it comes off the cob. Hard, sticky, and chewy foods can loosen brackets or bend wires, so some favorites will need to wait. Your child may miss popcorn more than they mind the brackets. Smaller pieces let your child chew with the back teeth instead of biting into firm food with the front brackets. We will go over which foods to skip and which you can cut up or prepare differently. For lunch, that might mean apple slices in a container instead of a whole apple in the bag.

Aligners come out for food and drinks other than plain water. After eating, your child needs to clean their teeth before putting the trays back so food and sugar do not stay trapped underneath. We will also show your child how to clean the trays. Keep them away from hot water, and avoid chewing on them, which can change their shape and fit.

The front teeth may look clean while the brackets farther back are still holding onto lunch. Plaque also collects along the gumline, so we will show them how to angle the brush around those areas. A floss threader or another cleaning tool can help reach between teeth beneath the wire. Meanwhile, keep regular cleanings and exams with your family dentist on the calendar, whether your child chooses braces or aligners.

Comfort, Sports, and School

Teeth can feel sore when braces first go on, after an adjustment, or when your child starts a new set of aligners. Brackets may rub the cheeks at first, while tray edges and attachments can feel unfamiliar. We will go over what can help with soreness and when to contact us. If a wire starts poking or a tray edge repeatedly rubs one spot, contact us so we can address it.

If your child plays sports, ask us about a mouthguard before they start treatment. With braces, the guard needs room for brackets rather than pressing tightly against them. As teeth shift, we may need to recheck its fit. If your child wears aligners, ask how to handle the trays and mouthguard for the sport they play.

Aligners may change how a few words sound at first, although many patients adjust as they keep wearing them. If your child plays an instrument or has questions about speaking in class, ask before treatment begins. We can explain what to expect and whether your child needs to take the trays out for that activity. Also, mention a short lunch period or practice straight after school so we can discuss when your child will eat, clean their teeth, and put the trays back in.

Treatment Time and Retainers

Once the front teeth look straight, your teen may be ready to call it done—even while the back teeth still need work. We may still need to move teeth farther back or adjust how the upper and lower teeth meet. Those steps take time with either braces or aligners. We will estimate how long treatment should take at the start and update you if that changes.

Once active treatment ends, retainers help hold teeth in their new positions. Teeth can shift after braces or aligners, so your child will need to keep wearing a retainer long term to hold the new positions. We will explain the schedule and how to clean the appliance. If it breaks, gets lost, or stops fitting fully, contact us before more movement occurs.

Compare Braces and Aligners at Pearls Orthodontics

If your child wants aligners and you are leaning toward braces, bring that up at your consultation. Dr. Ortiz can show you which teeth need to move and how braces or aligners would move them. You can also ask about daily wear, cleaning, and cost. Schedule a free consultation with us at Pearls Orthodontics in Pflugerville, Texas. Bring your child and the questions you have been discussing at home—we look forward to meeting you both!

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Categorised in: Braces for Teens