In our last blog, we talked about how we help small children start orthodontic treatment with phased orthodontics. But what happens when they reach the teen years? At this stage, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist discusses how we help teenagers straighten smiles with cosmetic braces and even Invisalign®.
Planning Treatment
If your child has already underwent phase one treatment, we will have planned this next stage. But if your teen hasn’t, we can still help. To begin, we will take detailed digital images of the entire smile, which we use to assess the cause and extent of your child’s misalignment. From there, we can plan treatment with precision and accuracy, choosing the best option to help them enjoy an even and healthy smile again.
Invisalign®
For some teens, we could provide the Invisalign® system. This uses a series of clear plastic aligners to shift the teeth into optimal positions, staying nearly invisible the entire time. We craft these based on detailed digital images we take of the smile from multiple angles. These are combined into a 3D impression that is very detailed and precise. Using this, a series of aligners will be crafted from a BPA-free plastic material. A set is then worn for about two weeks, for 20 to 22 hours a day. At which point the next set is worn and the process continues like this until your child obtains an even smile. For some, this could take as little as a year, while orthodontics may need up top 18 months. They can also be removed before meals too, or even prior to brushing and flossing!
Ceramic Brackets
What if your teen has a more severe case of misalignment, one too advanced for treatment with clear aligners? In these situations, we may recommend braces. We attach brackets to the front facing sides of the teeth and then connect these brackets with a thin arch wire, held in place with bands. The upper and lower sets could be connected with bands too. The tension in the wire is then adjusted to shift the teeth into optimal positions. However, the make them less visible, we could create ceramic brackets instead of metal ones, which will be shaded to blend with the smile seamlessly!
If you have any questions, then contact our team today.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TEEN ORTHODONTICS?
Our team wants to help kids and teens avoid poor oral health due to untreated malocclusion. If you have any questions about helping teens enjoy even and healthy smiles, 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 Rome, Haslet, Azle, Saginaw, and all surrounding communities.
