For Children
"Doc Braces" Audio Clips
It's best for the orthodontist to see your child by age 7. Crossbites, crowding and other problems can be detected by then. Although your child may not be ready to start treatment, it’s important to begin monitoring their dental development and physical growth patterns.
These growth and guidance visits are very important because the orthodontist can evaluate factors such as growth of the jaws, loss of baby teeth, eruption of the adult teeth and the effect of habits such as thumb-sucking, tongue-thrusting and mouth-breathing. These early visits allow the orthodontist to determine how to treat a child’s orthodontic problems with the least time and expense, and optimum improvement and comfort. As a result, many potential problems can be kept to a minimum and the duration of orthodontic treatment can be greatly reduced.
Two-Phase Treatment
What is the advantage of two-phase orthodontic treatment?
Two-phase orthodontic treatment encompasses tooth straightening and directing the growth relationship between the upper and lower jaws. While it may not be necessary for every child, with proper monitoring for children ages 6-8, an orthodontist may recommend an early intervention. The major advantage of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to modify a child’s growth and give them facial balance.
First Phase Treatment: Your foundation for a lifetime of beautiful teeth
The goal of first phase treatment is to develop the jaw size in order to accommodate all the permanent teeth and to relate the upper and lower jaws to each other. Children sometimes exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop. If children after age 6 are found to have this jaw discrepancy, they are candidates for early orthodontic treatment. First phase treatment may also benefit children who have social issues. For example, a child who may still suck their thumb at the age of 7 or 8 may be the target of teasing at school. This typically has a detrimental effect on their self-esteem. These children benefit greatly when treatment is initiated to cease their finger habit.
Planning now can save your smile later
Because they are growing rapidly, children can benefit enormously from an early phase of orthodontic treatment utilizing appliances that direct the growth relationship of the upper and lower jaws. Thus, a good foundation can be established, providing adequate room for eruption of all permanent teeth. This early correction may prevent later removal of permanent teeth to correct overcrowding and/or surgical procedures to align the upper and lower jaws. Leaving such a condition untreated until all permanent teeth erupt could result in a jaw discrepancy too severe to achieve with braces alone.
Second Phase Treatment: Stay healthy and look attractive
Once all of the permanent teeth have erupted, a full set of braces will be placed to align and refine the bite. Along with braces, elastics may also be prescribed by your orthodontist. This phase typically lasts between 12-14 months. As with all orthodontic treatment, treatment times vary patient to patient.