Choice Orthodontics delivers quality orthodontic care for people of all ages. While we proudly offer adult orthodontic treatment as well as early orthodontic treatment, most of the treatment we provide is in the form of adolescent orthodontics.
Braces and orthodontic care can be a daunting undertaking for parents of teenagers. Our skilled orthodontist is eager to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible. To start with, continue below for all the information you need to know about treatment.
When to Get Braces
The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) suggests that you schedule an early orthodontic screening for your child by age 7. At this age, the orthodontist can typically determine if the mouth will require orthodontic intervention in order to accommodate all of the patient’s adult teeth. By undergoing this early screening process, you can have more flexibility to plan for adolescent orthodontic care in the future. Typically, however, children do not undergo orthodontic treatment until the ages of 13 to 16. This age is ideal because 13-year-old’s have typically lost every primary tooth and have all of their permanent teeth. This makes it the perfect time to visit your family orthodontist to assess your teen’s orthodontic needs.
Benefits of Adolescent Orthodontic Care
Treating orthodontic problems is significantly easier during the developmental adolescence stage in life. At this stage, orthodontic treatment is aided by the fact that a teenager’s jaw and face are still growing. The following are additional benefits of adolescent orthodontic care:
- Shorter treatment duration
- Reduced cost compared to treatments for older patients
- Socially transparent—many teenagers have braces around this age, so undergoing orthodontic treatment doesn’t not affect confidence as much as it may for adults
Treatment Options
Because all teenagers are different, we believe in offering a variety of treatment options. Depending on your teenager’s individual orthodontic needs, our staff will help you select one of the following types of braces:
- Metal Braces : The most traditional braces option, this method gradually straightens and corrects the placement of teeth using metal brackets and wires.
- Ceramic Braces : Functionally similar to metal braces, ceramic braces differ in the type of brackets. The ceramic braces’ brackets are more discreet than the metal braces’ brackets, making them a more desirable adolescent orthodontic option.
- Invisalign® Teen : Invisalign Teen straightens patients’ smiles using clear, plastic aligners that are removable. Invisalign Teen is especially popular due to the fact that these clear aligners are essentially invisible and are considered a minimally intrusive orthodontic treatment. The aligners are worn approximately 22 hours per day and they come with special compliance indicators to tell how often you've been wearing them.
Length of Treatment
Adolescent orthodontic treatment varies depending on the specific needs of your teen. In general, patients wear braces from 9 to 24 months. In addition to the individualized treatment plan, the length of treatment can be influenced by adherence to braces protocol; for example, if your teen eats foods that are not braces-friendly, the braces equipment may be damaged, delaying your teen’s treatment progression. After your orthodontist removes your teen’s braces or your teen completes his/her Invisalign prescription plan, patients often need to wear a retainer for an assigned duration. In order to get an estimate for your teenager’s adolescent orthodontic treatment, schedule an appointment at the Choice Orthodontics St. Joseph or Gallatin office.
Visit Your Local Orthodontist
With our expert orthodontist, we can make adolescent orthodontic treatment simple and effective. Whether you’re interested in braces, Invisalign, or other orthodontic treatments, contact our St. Joseph or Gallatin office today. The team at Choice Orthodontics can’t wait to work with your family!