Invisalign clear plastic aligners do not cause cavities during treatment. But if your child does not practice good oral hygiene while wearing Invisalign aligners or does not keep the aligners clean, tooth decay can occur.
In this blog post, we at Ironwood Pediatric Dentistry cover how to use Invisalign aligners to minimize the risk of cavities during treatment.
To learn more about Invisalign, call our office at (480) 422-4544 or contact us online to speak with a pediatric dentist or orthodontist.
How Can Your Child Get Cavities During Invisalign Treatment?
There are two basic ways your child can experience tooth decay while undergoing Invisalign treatment:
- Failing to practice good oral hygiene habits
- Failing to use Invisalign aligners properly
Failing to Practice Good Oral Hygiene Habits
Brushing and flossing daily is the most important thing anyone can do to minimize the chance of developing cavities. This is true whether a child has perfectly aligned teeth or needs orthodontics to treat a misalignment.
Children who do not brush their teeth at least twice daily and floss at least once daily are more prone to getting tooth decay and gum disease.
Invisalign aligners cannot change this reality.
If your child removes Invisalign trays, eats, and then puts them back in without brushing beforehand, they are more prone to cavities—not because of Invisalign—because of poor oral hygiene.
Failing to Use Invisalign Aligners Properly
Using Invisalign requires a certain amount of self-discipline to get good treatment results. For example, your child needs to wear the aligners for about 22 hours a day to keep the treatment plan on track. Thus, it is important to put the aligners back in without delay after removing them for eating, drinking, brushing, or aligner cleaning.
Children should also maintain healthy eating, drinking, and cleaning habits when using Invisalign.
Here are some ways that improperly using Invisalign can put your child at a higher risk of tooth decay.
Eating and Drinking with the Aligners in the Mouth
A fundamental rule for using Invisalign is to remove the aligners before eating or drinking anything but water.
Although Invisalign does not inherently cause cavities, eating foods or drinking beverages with sugar while wearing the aligners can turn the aligner trays into traps that catch and hold food particles and sugar against the teeth.
Leaving the Aligners in for Too Long
Although it is important to wear Invisalign for about 22 hours daily, it is still possible to wear them too long.
If the aligners stay in place too long, they may reduce saliva flow against the teeth and gums, creating a “dry mouth” condition that can make tooth enamel more vulnerable to cavity formation.
Ordinarily, leaving the aligners in for too long is not a problem if your child is removing them to eat or drink.
Neglecting to Clean the Aligners
Invisalign aligners can harbor bacteria and plaque if they are not cleaned daily with a soft toothbrush and mild soap or a special cleaning solution. Even if your child brushes and flosses regularly, when the aligners are not cleaned then they can reintroduce bacteria and plaque and reduce the effectiveness of good oral health practices.
How to Wear Invisalign Without Increasing Cavity Risk
Invisalign treatment can be highly effective in treating mild to moderate teeth misalignment problems without increasing the risk of tooth decay if your child follows some simple rules:
- Brush and floss after every meal, using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste, and rinse with a fluoride rinse mouthwash
- Clean the aligners daily by brushing them with mild soap and water or by using an Invisalign-approved cleaning solution
- Do not eat while wearing the aligners
- Minimize consumption of acidic foods, sugary snacks, and sugary drinks like soda drinks to reduce the risk of plaque buildup
- Stay hydrated while using Invisalign to avoid dry mouth, and drink only water when wearing the aligners
- Maintain regular dental checkups, and follow your orthodontist’s instructions during your child’s Invisalign journey
By keeping these basic dental hygiene rules, you can be confident that your child’s Invisalign treatment will lead to a beautiful, straighter smile without increasing the risk of cavities or gum disease.
Do You Have Questions About Invisalign Treatment for Your Child?
At Ironwood Pediatric Dentistry, we can help you determine whether Invisalign treatment is right for your child’s orthodontic treatment needs, prescribe Invisalign treatment, and supply Invisalign clear aligner trays and associated cleaning products.
To learn more, we encourage you to call us at (480) 422-4544 to speak with us about Invisalign or pediatric oral care in general. Or, if you prefer, you can use our online contact form to communicate with our Scottsdale office and to schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist or an orthodontist.