We recently covered our treatments for young kids with interceptive orthodontics. But once they reach the teen years, what treatment options will we recommend? In today’s blog, your Fort Worth, TX, orthodontist talks about how we help correct smiles for teens with braces and potentially clear aligners.
Starting Treatment (or Beginning Phase II)
When we see your teen, we will talk to them about their options after we thoroughly examine their smile with digital x-rays and CT imaging technology. These create a 3D computer impression, one that enables us to assess the cause and extent of their misalignment with precision and accuracy. We then decide what course of action is best. If your child has already completed the first phase of treatment, then this will be the second phase, which begins once the permanent teeth have all erupted and their surfaces properly calcified. This next step helps them see optimal results, and allows them to start adulthood with an even and attractive smile!
Braces
For more severe cases of misalignment, our team will likely recommend metal braces. These are an effective means of addressing major misalignment and offering straighter smiles, usually in about two years. The process involves attaching brackets to the front facing sides of each tooth, and then connecting a portion of an arch wire to them with bands. We then adjust tension in the arch wire during regular visits to the office, which shifts the teeth into proper position. To make them less visible, we could use ceramic brackets for the upper brackets. Ceramic can be shaded to blend with the tooth and make them much less visible.
Invisalign® Aligners
For some of our teenage patients, we can also offer clear smile correction with Invisalign®. This means we use a series of clear plastic aligners to correct the smile, often in as little as one year to 18 months. In addition to being clear, these can also be removed before meals or prior to brushing and flossing, making your day-to-day life much easier. If you have any questions about our options for helping teen patients, then contact our team today to learn more. We would like to help your child smile with confidence, and enjoy optimal oral health. There is still time to see us and use your 2022 dental insurance benefits before they expire.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HELPING TEENAGE PATIENTS?
Our team is here to help people of all ages obtain clear and even smiles! If you have any questions about helping kids and teens, 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.
