Pediatric Orthodontist | Orthodontist for Kids & Teens (2023)

FAQs

At what age should a child see an orthodontist? ›

The American Dental Association and American Association of Orthodontists state that children should first see an orthodontist when they are around seven years old.

Pediatric dentists are the ones who examine and clean your child's teeth twice a year, keep an eye on the development of baby and permanent teeth, fill cavities, and carry out other routine treatments. Orthodontics is another specialized field of dentistry, but it has a narrower focus: straightening patients' bites.

Pediatric orthodontics is a special branch of pediatric dentistry which deals specifically with the braces and Invisalign for the children. Pediatric orthodontic children's dentistry refers to the dealing with the specific teeth alignment problems for the children during their early 7 to 10 years.

When it comes to orthodontic problems, early intervention is very important. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that children have their first check-up with an orthodontist as soon as an orthodontic problem is detected and no later than age 7 even if there do not seem to be any problems.

The ideal age for a child to get a palate expander is when they're young, around 7 to 8 years old. The palate is forming rapidly, so it's easier for orthodontists to reshape. The palate structure solidifies as children get older, usually around puberty, making it harder for it to widen.

The American Association of Orthodontists says that 7 years old is a great time for a first orthodontic visit. By age 7, your child most likely has their adult back molars in and some of their baby teeth have been replaced by adult ones. The shape of their jaw is also pretty much set by this age.

The average age that a child will get their braces on is between 11 & 12. Sometimes we see children as young as 6 or 7 with a full set of braces on. Some may think that the parents of these children just wanted to start the process early, or that it is some kind of trend.

Orthodontists and dentists both help patients improve their oral health, but in different ways. Dentistry is a broad medical specialty that deals with the teeth, gum, nerves, and jaw, while orthodontics is a specialty within dentistry that focuses on correcting bites, occlusion, and the straightness of teeth.

Here are some of the most typical reasons that a dentist may refer your child to an orthodontist for an evaluation: The effects that habits such as thumb-sucking or thrusting the tongue has on the teeth. Delayed eruption of the upper and lower two front teeth. Existing teeth too crowded for new teeth to grow in ...

Orthodontic treatment and your road to a winning smile typically entails three stages – the Planning Stage, Active Stage, and Retention Stage.

Which teeth never fall out? ›

Out of all of the teeth in the mouth that are most likely to not fall out, typically it will be the second molar because it often doesn't have a permanent tooth growing behind it. If these teeth remain in the mouth until at least age 20, they have a very low likelihood of causing any future complications.

Simply put, there is actually no age limit for someone to get braces. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, there is a high number of patients fitted with dental braces every day over the age of 18. Typically, the only requirements dental professionals have is a healthy jaw bone and permanent teeth.

Without adjustments, your teeth will stop moving and treatment will not progress. You also need regular checkups while you wear braces to ensure that the orthodontist corrects any teeth that are not moving the way they should, or that any unanticipated problems can be addressed before they advance.

These early orthodontic visits are valuable because they give us the opportunity to diagnose orthodontic issues, whether they are present or developing. By age 7, most children will have their permanent front teeth in place, as well as the first set of adult molars.

We don't always recommend braces…

Obviously, the majority of patients who visit an orthodontist will need some form of orthodontic care, otherwise they wouldn't be here. That being said, we evaluate each patient carefully and recommend the correct treatment option to provide the best possible outcome for your child.

Ages Five to Sixteen

After the age of five and up until about sixteen, your child is in the perfect place to reap the most benefits from an expander. At these ages, most of a child's adult teeth and molars have come in. It is preferable that a few adult teeth in the upper jaw have not yet appeared.

Age of Application Varies

Expanders can work for kids anywhere from age 5 to about 15 or 16. The goal is to put an expander in place once most of the child's adult teeth have come in, but if a few in the upper jaw have yet to appear that works too.

Typically, an expander will be in place for about 9 months total time. This may vary from child to child depending on his or her needs.

Traditionally, treatment with dental braces begins when a child has lost most of his or her baby (primary) teeth, and a majority of the adult (permanent) teeth have grown in —usually between the ages of 8 and 14.

Some children start their orthodontic treatment as young as six. However, most agree that the best age to get braces or another form of treatment is between the ages of 8 and 14, which is when the head and mouth are most conducive to straightening.

Should my 9 year old get braces? ›

There is no fixed age for acquiring braces. Orthodontists decide on a case by case basis when it is best to begin treatment. Usually, children between the ages of nine and 14 can get braces, because the child will have some permanent teeth at this point.

The good news is that you can get your teeth straightened no matter your age. Braces aren't just for kids. Even adults aged 50 and over can benefit from treatment by an orthodontist.

Today, adults, and even senior adults, are getting healthy smiles with adult orthodontics. Dr. Patel has had many adult patients come in and ask, “Am I too old for braces?” The simple answer is, no, you're never too old for orthodontic care — our oldest patient at The Brace Place was 78-years-old!

The ideal age your child should receive braces is between age 9 and 13 because their permanent teeth start fully coming in during that time. Age 7 to 12 is a good age to take your kid to their first orthodontist visit. When a child visits the dentist around this age, they may check for a couple of things.

Issues like labor costs, necessary materials, the intricate mechanisms found within the braces themselves and each visit that the patient must take to the dentist chair all add up to equal the price of a beautiful, straight smile.

Generally speaking, dentists are the experts at keeping your teeth healthy while orthodontists are the experts on jaw issues and teeth alignment. In fact dentists often refer their patients to an orthodontist if there are alignment problems or a bite abnormality.

Patients have the right to make their own decisions about orthodontic treatment, and you, as the orthodontic specialist, have an obligation to provide all necessary and relevant information.

Not getting braces often results in common misalignments. More serious problems with the alignment of the jaw can progress and affect the bite to a greater degree over time, causing problems such as overbites and crossbites.

Increased Risk of Bite Problems. Braces don't just straighten teeth; they address bite problems as well! If left untreated, overbites, underbites, and the like can result in wear and tear on your child's teeth.

HowStuffWorks explains that orthodontists estimate that roughly 45% of children need braces to fix functional problems such as a misaligned bite, but up to 75% of kids could benefit from them to straighten their teeth and improve the shape of their face.

What is the most painful stage of braces? ›

Most patients experience some discomfort the first 4 days to a week after their braces, expanders, and/or wires are placed and after a wire adjustment and/or an activation appointment. Your lips and cheeks may need one to two weeks to get used to the braces on your teeth.

Inclination and rotation movements are the most challenging movements to control for upper laterals and for upper and lower premolars and canines, so biomechanics research in this direction should be stressed.

The most common orthodontic treatment is traditional metal braces. In this treatment, brackets are attached to the teeth and connected with a wire. Braces place pressure on teeth so they move into the proper position in a patient's mouth.

Averaging the results of the 12 studies shows that once a tooth is found to have a crack, 48% of cracked teeth are mandibular molars, 28% are maxillary molars, 16% are maxillary premolars, 6% are mandibular premolars, and about 2% are other teeth.

For teens and other age groups, the most vulnerable teeth to cavities and decay are those in the back of your mouth. Known as molars or premolars, this category includes wisdom teeth—if you keep them in, that is.

The most common missing teeth are wisdom teeth, upper lateral incisors, and second premolars/bicuspids.

There's really no age limit for braces except in a very broad sense. Children shouldn't get braces placed on their baby teeth, for example; they should wait until they have their adult teeth. But once the adult teeth are in, the only contraindications for braces are health-related, not age-related.

How Long Do Braces Take for Adults? Adults often wear braces longer than children for the simple fact that major misalignments or other pre-existing dental issues (often from childhood) can make treatment a little more intensive. However, adults are usually better at following the dentist's instructions.

Braces Are a Lifelong Commitment

While braces themselves only need to be worn anywhere from 18 months to 3 years (this very rarely happens anymore), after your teeth are in their proper positions your orthodontist will have you wear either a permanent and/or removable retainer.

If brackets remain in place for years, plaque could build-up in places that are hard to reach, eventually leading to tooth decay and gum disease. Some Brackets May Later Dislodge– Under normal circumstances, when a bracket dislodges, your orthodontist will reattach it.

What is the longest time to wear braces? ›

You should only expect to wear your braces for a maximum of three years. While this may appear to be an excessively long period with braces on your teeth, please make an effort to understand that this is the worst-case scenario.

Removing your braces too soon or forcing your teeth to move too quickly can cause future problems and additional costs. Removing your braces or stopping an adjustment too early can cause: Improper teeth positioning. Tooth decay, cavities, or other dental issues.

Your child's first orthodontic evaluation

Once your child starts losing their baby teeth and permanent teeth begin coming in, it's time to schedule an orthodontic evaluation. Most kids are about six years old when this happens, and you should take them to the orthodontist no later than age seven.

To have a healthy smile that's good for life®, your child needs teeth and jaws that are properly aligned. The American Associa- tion of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that your child get a check-up with an orthodontist at the first recognition of the existence of an orthodontic problem, but no later than age 7.

Generally, the order of and rough timeline for each type of permanent tooth is: First molars – between 6 and 7 years. Central incisors – between 6 and 8 years. Lateral incisors – between 7 and 8 years.

If you have gum disease (also known as periodontal disease), you may not be an ideal candidate for braces. Gum disease occurs when the tissue that supports your teeth becomes infected. Often this is because of plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that builds up on your teeth.

When wearing braces, the areas of the teeth and gums that are close to or under arch wires and brackets are difficult to clean. When teeth aren't cleaned carefully, food particles can get trapped in these areas. This allows dental plaque to accumulate, which increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Despite their effectiveness, braces alone cannot fix a severely misaligned jaw. In such cases, you may need to combine braces treatment with corrective jaw surgery to align your jaw and teeth successfully.

Orthodontic treatment is designed to work with a mixed dentition, or a growing mouth of baby teeth and permanent teeth, so braces at age 7 or 8 is possible!

Yes. While baby teeth are still in their mouths. And yes, while their teeth and mouths are still developing. Your child's Dental Associates pediatric dentist is trained to identify bite issues at an early age and will refer a child to one of our orthodontists at the appropriate point in time.

What age is not good for braces? ›

At what age can you get braces? For children, most get braces between 9 and 14 years old. But adults can benefit from orthodontia as well, and there's no right or wrong age for adults to get braces. As a general rule, once the adult teeth are in, braces are possible.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Braces for a Child? Braces can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000 depending on the type of braces used and the length of treatment needed, among other factors.

Invisalign First™ is proven effective in shaping simple to complex little smiles, tween smiles, and teen smiles. Designed to treat simple to complex teeth straightening issues in growing children from ages 6 to 10, including crowding, spacing, and narrow dental arches. invis is proactive.

Most patients will need to wear fixed braces for around 18 to 24 months. For problems that are harder to correct, or for our older patients, treatment may take up to three years. If you have less severe issues or are a good candidate for clear aligners like Invisalign, treatment may take as little as 6 to 12 months.

In short, no, you are never too old for orthodontic treatment. Your orthodontist considers many variables when developing your customized treatment plan, but age is rarely a deciding factor. Orthodontic treatment can be as successful for adults as it is for adolescents.

What happens during Phase 1 orthodontic treatment? Early intervention, also known as Phase 1 orthodontic treatment, is for children between the ages of 5 and 11 who may have bite issues, crowded teeth, or airway problems. Phase 1 can include a variety of orthodontic treatments or treatment combinations.

The Trouble of Tooth Decay

Did you know that the leading cause of kids dental surgery is tooth decay? Commonly known as cavities, tooth decay can develop for a variety of reasons, but it is typically the result of improper dental hygiene or a diet deficient in nutrients.

Although braces may seem expensive, the results of wearing braces far outweigh the price. In fact, braces may soon become one of the most rewarding investments you can make for your oral health and self-confidence. So, are braces worth it? The answer is yes.