We are often asked, at Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, what is the Best Age to visit an orthodontist? That’s such an awesome question! The answer in short is any time you want to come see us! We see patients starting around age 7 up to 99 years old! There are so many reasons, besides having straight teeth, that a person may need orthodontics.
Orthodontics includes two basic phases, phase one for ages 7-11 and phase two for ages 12-99! So, when thinking about What is the Best Age to visit an orthodontist, let’s first talk about what type of treatment can be done from about ages seven to eleven years old (phase one). During this age bracket, Phase one treatment or a skeletal phase can be done. Not everyone will need Phase one, but at Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, all initial exams are complimentary, so parents, please make an appointment for your child to come see us, so our knowledgeable doctors can do an examination to see if they would benefit from Phase one orthodontic treatment.
Phase one orthodontic treatment could consist of the use of a Headgear or Herbst device which are both used to correct an overbite. Also, an expander is a small device that goes on the roof of the patient’s mouth, could be used to help gradually widen the patient’s upper jaw. This appliance is fascinating because many children have small upper jaws so that their large permanent teeth can’t all come down into the mouth correctly because there is not enough room. Expanders are placed in the roof of the mouth and there is a small hole located in the middle of the expander and a special key is given to Mom or Dad to turn the expander according to the doctor’s orders. The two upper bones that form the roof of your mouth are still floating when a child is young, so the expander will gradually separate these two bones to widen the patient’s upper jaw. Then, at puberty, these two bones gradually fuse together to form one bone. The expander gives the patient a beautiful big smile and allows for all their permanent teeth to be able to come down properly into the mouth. Another skeletal appliance that could be used is a Face mask which is used to treat patients with underbites. So, in summary, Phase one orthodontic treatment is all about correcting the patient’s skeleton. Phase one treatment varies in how long it takes depending on how much correction is needed. It is usually around twelve to eighteen months, but it can be less or sometimes a little more time. Please remember that not all children will need Phase one orthodontic treatment, but it is wise to get your child checked by the orthodontist.
When deciding on What is the best age to visit an orthodontist, most people traditionally think of Phase two as the full upper and lower braces stage of orthodontics! Upper and lower braces, which are used to move all the teeth and align the patient’s bite, are normally put on a patient’s teeth around the ages of twelve to fifteen years of age. Normally this phase lasts around eighteen to twenty-four months depending on the severity of the patient’s malocclusion. During Phase two, the patient’s cooperation is greatly needed. The patient has to be in it, to win it! Most Phase two patients will need to wear rubber bands eventually during the treatment. If the patient is not compliant in wearing these rubber bands, their treatment time could be extended. So, orthodontics is a team effort with the patient and the orthodontist! At Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, if your child does Phase one orthodontic treatment with us, then we will give you a discount on Phase two because Phase one treatment sets a patient up well for Phase two. Usually, if you have had early orthodontic treatment in Phase one, then Phase two will be quicker than normal as well.
Sometimes parents are not aware of the great importance of visiting an orthodontist at an early age, but don’t worry, all is not lost if a parent brings their child around thirteen to fifteen years old. Sometimes, if skeletal change is needed and the child has not reached puberty yet, the patient can still be improved with a skeletal appliance, such as an expander or a face mask even in Phase two. This can be successful if the child has not reached puberty yet. When asking What is the Best age to visit an orthodontist, we do our very best at Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics to give you an outstanding smile and results possible no matter what age you are when you start orthodontic treatment!
At Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, we also have a lot of adult patients. So, when asking What is the Best age to visit an orthodontist, ANY age is the time to visit the orthodontist! We have adults who do braces and others who do Clear Active Aligner treatment. We love making beautiful smiles for all ages! Invisalign is a term that most people know. Invisalign is just a brand of active aligners. We are very fortunate at Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics to have our very owned certified lab technician who makes all of our retainers, active aligners, and skeletal appliances. When a patient does Clear Active Aligner treatment with us, they are monitored very closely each month. It is a very effective way to straighten one’s teeth. Many adults come to visit us because they had braces as a teenager, but over the years their teeth have shifted. So, they want to straighten their teeth again. Through a series of clear invisible aligners, the teeth are able to be moved into their correct position. The treatment time for Clear Active Aligners varies depending on how much movement is needed on the upper and lower teeth. If it is just a few trays that are needed, the treatment time could be around four to six months. Some patients need a lot more correction and their treatment time could be twelve to sixteen months! There are many benefits of being able to do Clear Active Aligners in adults. For instance, if an adult is already having periodontal recession, then Clear Active Aligner treatment would be a better treatment choice since braces can be a little harder on the gums. So, it is great for adults to have the Clear Active Aligner treatment option to straighten their teeth. Also, the Aligners are clear, so you cannot see them on your teeth, which many adults love!
What is the Best Age to visit an orthodontist is often asked to us at Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, and our answer is we like to see anyone from ages seven to ninety-nine! After all, your teeth are very important and the alignment of them is crucial to your health and sense of wellbeing as well as your self confidence. So, call us at 972-529-9700 or visit our website, so we can schedule your complimentary orthodontic exam today!