Early Orthodontic Treatment for Kids

Many parents wonder when the right time is to start taking their children to see an orthodontist. As orthodontics has advanced through the years, oral health professionals have learned that it’s beneficial to address problems early when possible. Most specialists recommend taking children to the orthodontist around age seven, since the mouth has usually developed enough and permanent teeth are starting to come in.

Orthodontists are trained to identify issues at an early age and recognize which problems can be corrected before causing worse trouble later. Some conditions are simply easier to repair if they’re addressed early. This gives the orthodontist more control over where the permanent teeth erupt, especially when jaw structure is affected.

Some of the benefits of early intervention for orthodontics include:

  • Correcting bite problems
  • Guiding jaw growth to accommodate future teeth
  • Predicting permanent teeth development
  • Reducing the risks of damage to protruding teeth
  • Correcting harmful habits like thumb sucking or tongue pushing
  • Improving appearance
  • Boosting self-esteem
  • Lowering the risk for future invasive orthodontic treatment

A common trend in modern orthodontics is a two-phased approach. The first phase begins when the child still has mostly baby teeth, and treats issues like widening the palate or altering the bite. This is in preparation for the second phase when your child is older and more permanent teeth have erupted. The exact timing is determined by the child’s dental needs and growth patterns.

A consultation around age seven gives you and your child the opportunity to establish a relationship with an orthodontist, and obtain the peace of mind that you’re headed the right direction with your child’s treatment plan. This is just one way to ensure your child’s healthy, beautiful smile for life.

If you need a orthodontist in Burbank, contact us today

Catering to Teens with Invisalign

It may seem that there’s a target market for just about everything, and it turns out that Invisalign braces are no exception. This revolutionary method for improving smiles has introduced Invisalign Teen that provides all of the benefits of the Invisalign system, but adds a few more perks for teenagers.

Invisalign gently moves teeth using a clear plastic tray that fits over the top and/or bottom teeth. A series of trays is created for each patient as they progress through treatment. An advanced computer program is used to identify where the teeth are initially and where they should be moved to create a beautiful smile. Each aligner is custom-made using the computer data, and then the patient wears each one in the order that they are provided in the series.

Aligners should be worn 22 hours a day for effective and timely results. You may think this is impossible for teens, but not with all the benefits of Invisalign. They are made from clear plastic that is nearly invisible in the mouth, so teens don’t complain about unattractive braces. The aligners are removed for both eating and cleaning, meaning no diet restrictions or difficulties performing dental hygiene tasks.

Other benefits of Invisalign Teen include very high comfort level with no concerns of wires poking the mouth or painful adjustments. There is also little time spent in the orthodontist’s office because checkups are only needed about every six weeks. Overall treatment time with Invisalign is usually about one year, depending on the severity of the patient’s orthodontic issues.

How does Invisalign Teen differ from adult Invisalign? To address concerns that teens won’t wear the aligners enough, Blue Dot compliance indicators have been added. The dots fade away with wear so that the teen will know it’s time for a new aligner when the dot is gone. For teens who might still have permanent teeth coming in, eruption tabs have been added to hold space for teeth that are not yet fully in.

Invisalign has become an increasingly popular treatment option for adults, and now teens can join in by selecting Invisalign Teen. More and more teens are choosing this approach every day.

A Unique Approach with Invisalign Teen

Part of the hassle associated with improving your teenager’s smile with braces is getting your teen to buy into the process. Many teens are very resistant to wearing braces because they don’t want a mouth full of metal, food stuck in their braces, or restrictions placed on their diets. Invisalign Teen is here to help!

Invisalign Teen involves wearing a series of aligners over the teeth that gently shift them into better positions. The clear plastic aligners are virtually invisible, which thrills teenagers who don’t want to bring attention to their braces. This also rules out the potential for food becoming stuck in wires or brackets, a common hazard that teens wearing traditional braces fear.

Another plus to Invisalign Teen is the aligners are removeable. They are removed for eating, so there are no restrictions on your teen’s favorite foods. They still have the freedom to eat treats like popcorn or hard candy without concern. Aligners are also removed for cleaning, so normal brushing and flossing win out as opposed to the difficulties cleaning around metal braces.

You won’t have to listen to your teen complain about discomfort with braces when you choose Invisalign. There are no painful adjustments and no pointy wires to poke them in the mouth. You also don’t need to worry that your teen doesn’t know when to change sets of aligners, because Invisalign Teen has a special Blue Dot Indicator that lets you know it’s time to switch. And if your teenager tends to be irresponsible, Invisalign Teen offer six free aligner replacements when one is lost.

The benefits of Invisalign Teen are obvious: invisible, removeable, comfortable, customized and effective. Your teen can’t complain that their social life is negatively impacted by wearing braces when you choose Invisalign as the method. It seems that teenagers face enough hardships and change in their lives; Invisalign Teen offers a stress-free, unique approach to a beautiful smile.