Teenagers are rapidly approaching adulthood, which means they need a unique approach to orthodontics that not only corrects smiles, but helps do so as those smiles are still growing and changing. In today’s blog, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist explains how these treatments differ from children’s treatment, and the how they can often blend with the smile!
The Impact of an Uneven Smile
Having teeth that are crooked, or that crowd and overlap one another, could be a source of embarrassment for many people, impacting how they feel about their appearance. By correcting these teeth, you renew a person’s confidence in their smile. However! You also help improve their overall oral health too. For example, an uneven smile often means that even with brushing and flossing, you could fail to reach and remove trapped food and drink particles. Left in between the teeth, these particles could be broken down by bacteria, a process that increases the risk of cavities and gum disese, along with bad breath and discoloration. For others, misalignment also changes the bite’s balance, straining the jaw joints and increasing the risk of disorders like TMD or bruxism (teeth grinding).
Invisalign® Clear Aligners
For children, we often start with retainers and teeth spacers to hope guide the growth and development of the smile. However, teens are close enough to adulthood that their smiles are almost done growing and changing, so we often opt for the same treatments we recommend for adult patients. For example, we may suggest Invisalign® clear aligners. With Invisalign®, we craft a series of clear, plastic aligners that will be worn daily to reposition the teeth and help address misalignment, while remaining barely visible the entire time! For teens, an even smile could be achieved in as little as a year to 18 months on average.
Tooth-Colored Brackets
If we find that misalignment is very serious, we may recommend braces. But that doesn’t mean they will only be the metal options. Instead, we can craft a series of brackets made from ceramic, which we tint to blend with the teeth. We attach a very thin arch wire to them with clear bands. The result is braces that are much less visible, so teenage patients enjoy a straighter smile without major impacts on their overall appearance. If you have any questions, then contact our team today.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TEEN ORTHODONTICS?
We want to help patients both young and old, everyone in between, obtain healthier and more attractive smiles. To learn more about the benefits of orthodontics people of all ages, then please call Lake Country Orthodontics in Fort Worth, TX at (817) 236-7846. Our office proudly serves patients who live in Haslet, Azle, and all surrounding communities.
