Do You Have Questions About Braces? We’ve Got Answers!
Are you a parent with questions about braces? At Orthodontists Associates of WNY, we understand that many parents don’t begin to think about the need of early orthodontic treatment for their children until their teenage years. However, to help avoid complicated and costly treatment in the future, early orthodontic intervention is the most effective way to correct orthodontic problems before they get worse.
Certain orthodontic conditions can be treated as early as 7 or 8 years old. Although they may not be able to be totally corrected at that time, early orthodontic treatment can drastically reduce the amount of treatment that a child needs to undergo during their teen years. Keep reading for answers to your questions about braces and the orthodontic treatments we provide for patients throughout Western New York.
What Are The Stages of Orthodontic Treatment?
Early orthodontic treatment is usually done in stages. These stages are referred to as Phase I and Phase II. In Phase I, treatment focuses on correcting your child’s bite, teaching your child good oral hygiene, preventing or lessening a dental issue, helps guide the development of the child’s jaw, guides permanent teeth into their proper place, and could also provide a positive boost to your child’s self-esteem. Phase I is all about beginning the corrections that need to occur to help minimize the risk of lifelong dental issues.
Phase II occurs a little bit later into the early orthodontic treatment. This involves the use of braces. The purpose of braces is to help guide your child’s teeth into the proper position and stabilize them. Phase II often doesn’t begin until the child is between 11 and 15 years of age. Their permanent teeth have come in. One of the benefits of waiting until this age for braces is that orthodontists are able to work with the child’s bite and teeth placement during the time they are most likely to grow. This can actually help lessen the amount of time that the child needs to have braces. If you have questions about braces or the phases of treatment, schedule a free consultation today!
Does Every Child Need Braces?
One of the most common questions about braces we receive is, “Do you put braces on every kid you see at an early age?” The answer is no. Very often, what we do is start by trying to create room for teeth to be made straight and make the jaws the proper size and shape. We frequently start with an expander to make more room and make jaws the proper width. Then, we go into braces. Sometimes we do what we call “partial treatment,” using just upper and lower front braces for a short time. That’s just to align things into their proper positions and get things to fit appropriately with the upper and the lower. Then, we give kids a long break while we wait for the rest of the adult teeth to come in. It depends on the patient. Sometimes we just do expansion at a young age and sometimes we do expansion with partial braces.
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Can Childhood Growth Correct an Orthodontic Problem?
One of the big reasons we want to see kids at a young age is that we can really use their growth and development to their advantage. For instance, if we have a really big overjet – with the upper teeth in front of the lower teeth when viewed from the side – very often, we need the lower jaw to do some growing for us. Remaining growth can really help us to achieve that bite correction. It’s not going to happen by itself, however. What we often need to do is make the upper jaw the proper size and shape first, and then give that lower jaw the encouragement it needs to do some growing forward.
The other thing is that if you see a kid with an underbite at a young age, we know the lower jaw has the propensity to keep growing, so we need to use that growing time to our advantage and try to make the upper jaw fit forward where it belongs. You can use growth to your advantage. We use growth all day, every day in our practice to get bites to fit together better. That’s the huge reason that we want to see patients at an earlier age. If you have questions about braces and whether your child’s growth can correct their malocclusion, schedule a free consultation today.
I’ve Still Got Questions About Braces. How Much Does An Orthodontic Consultation Cost at Orthodontists Associates of WNY?
When we get an initial phone call from a patient or a family member of a potential patient, the most often asked question is probably, “Is there a fee for the initial consultation?” The answer is no. There are no fees in our office until we begin treatment. The consultation appointment is a good way to get an idea of what might be necessary going forward and to seek out the available insurance coverage for a patient before ever being tied into any fees. During your free consultation we will answer any questions about braces or orthodontic care you may have. This way, you can make an informed decision about your health with no obligation to move forward with a recommended treatment plan.
Schedule Your Free Orthodontic Consultation Today!
Do you have questions about braces? Now that we’re starting to get back to reality in the post-COVID world, we are happy to be able to treat patients of all ages and help them achieve a beautiful and healthy smile. If you are considering orthodontic care for yourself or a loved one, take advantage of our free orthodontic consultation today to find out if you would benefit from orthodontic care. If you’re still not comfortable coming to the office, we’re also offering our existing patients virtual consultations from the comfort of your own home.
Orthodontists Associates of Western New York is proud to offer early orthodontic treatment throughout Buffalo, Lancaster, Olean, Hamburg, Orchard Park, and Dunkirk, New York.
At Orthodontists Associates of Western New York, our reputation as a leader in orthodontic care is based on one thing… Making a Healthy and Beautiful Smile
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