"I've seen patients who never realized they clenched before aligners, then found themselves naturally reducing it once they became conscious of the habit."
Interesting point... but do you think this applies to kids too? My daughter just started aligners, and now I'm wondering if she's clenching more or if I'm just noticing it because I'm hyper-aware (typical anxious parent here, lol). Did anyone else's kid experience this? Would hate to accidentally make things worse while trying to fix them.
"Interesting point... but do you think this applies to kids too?"
Definitely can apply to kids, yeah. My son started aligners last year, and at first, I swear he was clenching more (or maybe I was just noticing it because I'm a dentist and a paranoid parent combo—double whammy, lol). After a few weeks though, he got used to them and eased up naturally. Give it some time; kids adapt quicker than we do sometimes...
Definitely can apply to kids, yeah. My son started aligners last year, and at first, I swear he was clenching more (or maybe I was just noticing it because I'm a dentist and a paranoid parent com...
My niece had aligners too, and honestly, she adjusted quicker than I expected. Kids seem pretty resilient with these things... though I wonder if age makes a difference? She was around 12—maybe younger kids find it trickier at first?
My daughter got aligners when she was around 10, and honestly, the first week or two was a bit rough—lots of complaining about soreness and having trouble talking clearly. But after that initial adjustment, she settled in surprisingly fast. I think younger kids might struggle a little more at first just because they're less patient or aware of what's going on... but once they get past that initial hurdle, they adapt pretty quickly. Kids are usually way more adaptable than we give them credit for.
My son got aligners around 12, and man, the first week was rough. He sounded like he had marbles in his mouth, and dinner conversations were hilarious. But yeah, after a couple weeks he barely noticed them. Kids bounce back fast... unlike me, who still complains about my retainer from 20 years ago. Guess adaptability skips a generation, huh?
