Adolescent Treatment
Orthodontic treatment during adolescence is a teenager’s right to passage.
Adolescent Treatment
Orthodontic treatment during adolescence is a teenager’s right to passage. It is a great time to start braces as most children have lost their baby teeth and have permanent teeth in. Furthermore, they are also excited to have braces at this age since all their friends are in braces as well.
WHAT IS THE TIMING FOR GETTING BRACES DURING TEENS?
Most children have their permanent teeth by age 12. Any issues such as crowding, overbite, improper bite, and spacing can be addressed during this stage. During this time, patients are also in their peak pubertal growth spurts which allows for certain appliances that can be used in conjunction with braces to help in the growth of their jaws. Since bone density is still less compared to adult teeth, movements are faster with shorter treatment time.
WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE OFFERED?
At Smile City Orthodontics, we are excited to provide, Braces, Aligners, and Hybrid treatment for our teens.
Braces are the most common treatment modality that most teens opt for. Braces consist of metal brackets and wires. They are composed of high grade stainless steel. The brackets are attached to the teeth and then connected by a wire which will pull or push the tooth to the correct position. The wires are connected to the brackets using O-rings (we have a variety of colors !) or power chain. The brackets have hooks to which you will connect the elastics.
If your teen does not want metal braces, we also offer ceramic braces (clear braces). The ceramic braces are transparent and are less noticeable than traditional metal braces.
We have seen several teens also opting for clear aligners. Aligners have progressed over the years and are now offered to teens. Patients wear the aligners for 22 hours/day. You will be provided with a series of aligners and you switch to new ones every two weeks. Each set of aligners will slowly move the teeth until they reach the final position to achieve the perfect smile. With aligner treatment, the number of office visits are less and with the help of technology we can also do virtual visits to check the progress of your treatment.
The process of aligners is simple. We scan your teeth using our 3D scanner and the image is sent to an aligner company who will fabricate your aligners. Rather than wait 5 weeks to receive your aligners, your first few aligners will be provided in about 2 days of starting treatment with aligners that are created by our in-house 3D printer. Come check out our office to see this new technology.
Even though aligner treatment has progressed over the years, there are still some limitations when it comes to treating severe cases. For these cases, we offer Hybrid treatment which is a combination of aligners and braces. We will start with braces and let it do the heavy lifting. Following which we will remove the braces and then scan for aligners. The final finishing and detailing will be completed with aligners. The combination of both aligners and braces will help in achieving our goals and see quick results.
To see which is the best option for your child, schedule an appointment at Smile City Orthodontics in Sunnyvale, TX, to learn more about your treatment options. Our highly trained team and modern technology-equipped office is committed to achieve a beautiful smile that you deserve.
