In our last blog, we talked about how we correct children’s uneven smiles with phased orthodontics, like retainers and space maintainers. But what about the teen years? In this stage, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist talks about how we improve smiles for teens with braces or even Invisalign® aligners.
Starting Treatment
If your child started care at a young age, then he or she likely already wore phased orthodontics, such as retainers and teeth spacers. These help guide the growth of the smile to help mitigate the severity of misalignment as they enter the teen years. But we can still offer care for teenagers who didn’t undergo treatment with phased orthodontics in childhood. We will begin treatment once all of the permanent teeth have erupted, and the outer enamel has properly calcified. Now, the smile is ready for the next phase of treatment, which corrects the position of the teeth and offers an even smile! To begin, we will conduct a thorough examination to assess the cause and extent of the misalignment, so we can choose the most appropriate treatment plan.
Invisalign® and Ceramic Brackets
For many teens, it comes down to two options. For the more severe cases, our team could recommend braces. These involve placing a bracket onto the front facing side of each tooth, and then connecting the brackets with a portion of a thin arch wire. We may also connect the upper and lower arch braces with additional bands. Our team then adjusts tension in the wires during regular visits to begin shifting the teeth. To make them more attractive, we could use ceramic instead of metal so they blend with the smile and reduce visibility of the braces!
Our team could also provide Invisalign® aligners. Crafted based on detailed digital images and impressions taken of your smile, these will involve wearing a set of plastic trays for 20 to 22 hours a day, over a period of two weeks, and then wearing the next set in the series. This corrects smiles in as little as one year for some patients. They’re also removable, and make eating and brushing/flossing much simpler during treatment.
If you have any questions about how we correct uneven smiles with clear aligners or braces, then contact our team to schedule a visit for your teen!
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ORTHODONTICS FOR OLDER KIDS?
Our team is here to help your children enjoy better smiles by correcting misalignment. If you have any questions about addressing minor or even severe misalignment, 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 White Settlement, North Fort Worth, Springtown, and all surrounding communities.
