Smiles by Glenos & Hadgis Orthodontists - Serving Children and Teens
Orthodontics for Children
Although there is no exact age for children to begin orthodontic treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends a visit to an orthodontist around age seven.
By this age, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, making it easier for us to diagnose and correct tooth and jaw problems sooner and without surgery.
Early treatment allows the orthodontist 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 easy to know if your youngster may need orthodontic treatment.
Here are a few things to look for that may mean your son or daughter needs to see an orthodontist
- 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, retainers, and everything else you want to know about orthodontics!
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 three key factors:
- Early treatment — Early treatment allows us to monitor the growth of the jaw and recommend further orthodontic treatment if it becomes necessary. Not everybody receives early orthodontic treatment; in some cases it may be recommended that the patient wait to receive treatment.
- What needs correction — The amount of treatment needed to correct a problem will determine how long the process takes. Different patients react to treatments differently. While it may take one patient only 12 months to complete treatment, another may require 24 months. Treatment times can vary, depending on how quickly your body responds and how much work is needed to give you the show-stopping smile you desire.
- YOU! — Your willingness to use the appliances Dr. Hadgis gives you 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
- Lingual braces
- Traditional metal braces
Orthodontic braces are a big part of life for many people your age. Though they may have had a bad reputation in the past, today’s braces make it easy to look good and feel good! Please contact our practice to schedule your next orthodontic checkup.