Did you know that starting orthodontic treatment in childhood could mean less time in braces in the teen years? In today’s blog, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist will discuss our approach to children’s treatment, and how we help guide the growth and development of your little one’s smile with custom-made orthodontics.
The First Signs of Trouble
As your child’s baby teeth begin to fall out and the permanent teeth arrive, you may notice a few alignment issues beginning to develop. At age seven, we suggest a visit for a consultation if this is the case. At this age, there is a mix of primary and permanent teeth, a great way for our team to assess the state of their smile and identify whether they need treatment. To do so, we will use detailed digital scanning technology to take a close look at their smile.
Preventing Major Complications
Unless addressed, the factors behind the poor alignment of the smile could also lead to issues with airway obstruction in the ten and adult years, causing worsening misalignment and even a higher risk of issues like sleep apnea. By correcting misalignment so the early years, this limits how long your child will need to wear braces or aligners in the teen years, and also prevents major complications for their facial structure or air passages as well.
Possible Treatment Options
To begin, we will assess the cause and severity of your child’s misalignment. This information enables us to create a personalized treatment plan to correct their alignment issues and improve overall oral health. For young children, we may create custom-fitted retainers and teeth spacers to begin shifting the teeth and guiding the growth of the smile. Once they enter the teen years, we then upgrade to braces, using ceramic brackets to limit visibility. We may also recommend Invisalign® aligners, which allows our team correct uneven teeth without metal braces, instead using a series of clear, plastic aligners that are nearly invisible when worn. If you have any questions about how we approach care for children and teens, then contact our team today. We would love to help you schedule a consultation and start your family on the path toward even and healthy smiles!
Does Your Child Need a Consultation?
Our aligners, teeth spacers, and other solutions could help kids of all ages enjoy a more even smile, and better overall oral health as well. To learn more about our approach to kids treatment and the unique and custom options we use to help their smiles improve, then please call Lake Country Orthodontics in Fort Worth, TX at (817) 236-7846. Our office proudly serves patients who live in Springtown, Rome, and all surrounding communities.
