You don’t need to wait until your teen years or adulthood to begin treatment. In fact, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist could help kids as young as age seven enjoy straighter smiles and better oral health, as misalignment is often linked to issues like tooth decay, gum disease, TMJ disorder, and more. Let’s talk about how we approach care in early childhood!
The Phased Approach
We believe in a phased approach with interceptive orthodontics. Basically, this means starting specific forms of treatment at various stages of your child’s life. The treatments then help guide the growth and development of the child’s jaw and reduces the severity of misalignment, until a final stage of care in the teen years completes the process. We can see children as young as age seven. At this age, there is a mix of baby and permanent teeth, so we can better assess the risk of misalignment and other factors that upset bite balance. The process starts with an initial exam in which we carefully assess the factors behind your child’s alignment issues with digital technology. Our team is experienced in helping kids feel relaxed and comfortable through the entire process!
Early Treatment Options
We use digital technology to create detailed images and impressions of the smile, which we use to craft oral appliances and other orthodontics in a lab setting. For example, we could create aligners, retainers, or teeth spacers to help improve alignment over time. Treatment for alignment issues also helps lower the risk of tooth decay and gingivitis in your child’s smile, protecting health, function, and stability!
Continuing Care as They Grow
When your child reaches the teen years, we begin the final phase of care. For more serious cases of misalignment, we could suggest braces. However, with tooth-colored ceramic brackets and clear bands we make them much less visible. We could also suggest Invisalign®, which doesn’t need wires or brackets at all, and instead corrects uneven teeth with a series of clear and comfortable plastic aligners. We know that our teen patients are very image-conscious, which is why we’re happy to offer cosmetic alternatives to traditional treatment options.
If you have any questions about our approach to children’s orthodontics care, then please don’t hesitate to reach out. Summer is a great time to begin treatment, as your child doesn’t have to miss school for appointments.
Does Your Child Need Orthodontic Care?
Starting treatment early could help your child maintain good oral health. To learn more about helping kids of all ages enjoy even smiles, from childhood to the teen years, then please call Lake Country Orthodontics in Fort Worth, TX at (817) 236-7846. Our office proudly serves patients who live in White Settlement, North Fort Worth, and all surrounding communities.
