Did you know we offer orthodontic care for more than just teens and adults? In fact, we can help kids of all ages, often as young as age seven, undergo treatment. In today’s blog, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist talks about how we help children with a phased approach to treatment, one that utilizes special interceptive orthodontics.
Starting Care at a Young Age
We can begin care for kids as young as age seven. At this age, their smiles have a mixture of permanent teeth and baby teeth, so we can assess the risks to their alignment and help guide the growth and development of the smile to limit the severity of malocclusion. The process begins with an initial examination, in which we use advanced digital imaging systems to obtain clear and detailed x-rays and images of the smile. We can identify the positions of the baby teeth and permanent teeth, and plan treatment with precision and accuracy.
The Purpose of Interceptive Orthodontics
Not only will these help treat misalignment, but they also guide the overall development of the jaw, to limit the severity of malocclusion down the road. Treatment not only offers even teeth, but can improve bite balance and breathing in the future, limiting the risk of complications like TMD, bruxism, and even sleep apnea.
With retainers, we use a custom-made device to help limit misalignment and guide the smile’s growth. This can be fixed in place or removable, and is always custom-made for the patient’s smile. If a child loses baby teeth prematurely, this could cause issues with the eruption of the permanent teeth. With teeth spacers, we keep the gap open after the loss of baby tooth, so the permanent tooth is guided into place properly. Again, these can be fixed in place or removable, depending on your child’s needs.
Moving Forward in the Teen Years
When your child’s permanent teeth have finally all come in, usually as they near the teen years, we can begin the final phase of this treatment option. For teens, we could use braces (and offer a cosmetic approach with tooth-colored brackets). We also have clear and comfortable Invisalign® aligners too. If you have any questions about how we treat children with an interceptive set of orthodontics, or if you would like to schedule a visit soon, then contact our team today.
Ready to Straighten Your Child’s Smile?
We would like to help your kids obtain straighter smiles with a personalized approach. If you have any questions about retainers or teeth spacers for children, or if you would like to schedule an appointment soon, 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.
