For teenagers with misalignment, we have options to help correct misalignment and improve overall oral health. In today’s blog, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist will explain how we approach treatment for teen patients, including tooth-colored brackets and even clear Invisalign® aligners!
The Causes of Poor Alignment
Often, the factors behind misalignment occur during childhood, such as baby teeth falling out too early due to decay, or not falling out on time. Issues with the eruption of permanent teeth is a factor too, as well as injury, complications with the growth of the jaw and oral structures, and thumb sucking. By correcting your uneven teeth, you help lower the risk of everything from tooth decay and gum disease to TMJ disorder and bruxism. In fact, many of the factors behind misalignment could reduce airflow during sleep and increase the risk of sleep apnea in adulthood! Fortunately, we can help your teenager enjoy an even smile.
Choosing a Solution for Malocclusion
If your child underwent treatment at a young age with our phased orthodontic approach, this means we’ve used teeth spacers and retainers to help guide the growth of the smile. In the teenage years, the final phase begins with the use of braces or aligners. If your child hasn’t received treatment, then we will examine the smile carefully with digital x-rays and digital scanning technology, assessing the cause and extent of the misalignment. From there, we choose the option best suited for the smile.
Braces vs. Invisalign®
Braces are a great option for more severe cases of misalignment. Our team will attach brackets to the front facing parts of each tooth, and then connect a small section of a long thin arch wire with a band. The orthodontics then adjusts tension in the wire during peridot visits to correct the alignment. While braces are not known for being esthetically-pleasing, we could help by creating brackets from a tooth-colored ceramic. We shade it to blend with the smile seamlessly, and then attach the arch wire with a clear band.
For more minor cases, we could help with Invisalign®. Instead of braces, we use a series of clear plastic aligners. Each set of custom-made for the smile, and practically invisible. They will be worn daily and a new set is worn every two weeks. For teens, this could offer optimal results in a year to 18 months on average.
If you have any questions about how we correct smiles or about our treatment options, then contact our team today to learn more.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT TEEN ORTHODONTICS?
We want to help your children and teens enjoy better oral health with custom orthodontics. To learn more about correcting misalignment, 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.
