Orthodontics for Children
While there is no exact age for children to begin orthodontic treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends visiting the orthodontist around age seven. By this age, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth. Dr. Henry looks for certain growth and develpment characteristics to help determine the best time to start treatment. Dr. Henry prefers to see children at age 7 to ensure that everything is being done to ensure each patient receives their best smile with the shortest possible treatment time. There are often relatively simple preventive or interceptive type treatment procedures that can be done in the elementary years to make the child's overall smile better in the long run or at least more easily achieved.
Early treatment allows Dr. Henry to:
- Correct and guide the growth of your child's jaw to help the permanent teeth come in straight
- Regulate the width of the upper and lower arches
- Create more space for crowded teeth
- Avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions later in life
- Correct thumb sucking and help improve minor speech problems
For parents, it's not always easy to know if your child may need orthodontic treatment.
Here are a few things to look for that may mean you should schedule an appointment with Dr. Henry:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- A hard time chewing or biting food
- Mouth breathing
- Finger or thumb sucking
- Crowded, misplaced, or blocked teeth
- Jaws that pop or make sounds when opening and closing
- Teeth that come together abnormally, or do not come together at all
- Jaws and teeth that are not proportionate to the rest of the face
- Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight
Please contact our practice to schedule an appointment for an orthodontic evaluation. Early treatment now will give your child a healthy, beautiful smile for the future.
Orthodontics for Teens
Braces! What now?
Don't worry! Braces aren't nearly as scary as you may think. In fact, braces today come in a variety of styles, materials, and colors, making life with braces much easier, more comfortable, and even more stylish than in the past.
How long will I have to wear braces?
The amount of time it takes to treat your smile with braces depends on two key factors:
- What needs to be fixed? — The total time needed for orthodontic treatment will be determined by the amount of correction you need. The amount of tooth movement needed will determine treatment time. For example, those with severe crowding will take longer get straight teeth compared with those with only minor crowding. Also, the amount of bite correction needed (or much work is necessar to get the top and bottom teeth to meet in the ideal way), will greatly influence treatment time.
- YOU! — Your willingness to use the appliances Dr. Henry gives you (just as you are prescribed by our office) plays a major role in the length of time it takes to complete your treatment. Always remember to take care of your braces and appliances; this truly will help make your treatment shorter!
Braces Your Way!
Our practice offers a variety of braces, types and styles, to choose from. Some common options include:
- Ceramic braces
- Invisible braces (clear aligners)
- Traditional metal braces
Orthodontics for Adults
Orthodontic treatment is no longer just for teenagers. You would be amazed at the number of our patients in treatment who are young professionals, moms and dads of our current patients, and older adults whose kids are out of the house and are finally taking the time to improve their smiles. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists states that one in five orthodontic patients is over the age of 21. Many adults are choosing to receive treatment because they understand the importance of maintaining their health, and they want to feel better about their appearance. Adults everywhere are taking advantage of the opportunity to receive orthodontic care, and now you can too.
Common reasons why adults consider orthodontic treatment:
- They want to look better! They've been self conscious about their smile their whole life!
- They have noticed their front teeth starting to shift in recent years.
- They have a bad bite or malocclusion, causing the teeth to fit together incorrectly.
- Teeth are crowded or spaced apart, possibly causing tooth decay or gum disease.
- Abnormal jaw pain or pressure that is caused by crooked teeth or a bad bite
- Desire for a healthier mouth -- straight teeth are easier to keep clean!
Treatment options for adults
For many adults, the thought of having metal braces is enough to discourage them from receiving treatment. However, today's orthodontic treatment options offer a variety of braces and appliances that are comfortable, aesthetic, and customized to meet your needs. Types of braces include:
- Clear self-ligating braces
- Self-ligating metal braces
- Invisible braces (clear aligners)
Why should you consider orthodontic treatment?
- A beautiful, straight smile builds confidence — Orthodontic treatment can help boost your self-confidence, giving you a better quality of life and the freedom to smile without holding back!
- Straight teeth are healthy teeth — Teeth that are properly aligned are easier to keep clean with flossing and brushing, and may help prevent other health problems.
- Smile concerns left untreated can get worse — Certain orthodontic concerns (like crowding and excessive teeth wear due to a bad bite) can worsen with as you get older. Sometimes delaying treatment can make your eventual correction more prolonged, difficult, and costly in the future.
To learn more about the benefits of adult orthodontics please contact our practice to schedule an appointment. We understand that you have a busy schedule, and we will work with you to make sure each office visit is as convenient as possible.