You have a wide variety of questions, and luckily for you, we have answers. You may have already researched orthodontics and how it works, and through all the crazy words, you probably didn’t understand much of what was written. We don’t blame you because the truth is most people don’t. Even we wonder where the word ‘armamentarium’ came from (it’s just fancy for dental chair!). Through all the complicated and dry medical terms, you can have faith that we know precisely what we’re doing! Will my child need braces? Every child is different, but that is certainly something we can answer. What kind of braces will they need? Come on in for an appointment because we know! At what age should I take them to the orthodontist? Again, we know! And we’re more than happy to tell you all about it.
Time flies; that’s something we here at Smile More Orthodontics understand all too well. You may find too that time goes even faster still when you’re raising a child! We know that the first decade can be filled with hundreds of questions ranging from school to medical services to Toy Story and Frozen and all the way back again! Let us help you with a few of those and ease your mind when it comes to your child’s orthodontics. It’s deceivingly simple! The general recommendation is that the first appointment is around the age of seven, but we are here to address your questions at any time!
So now you wonder what it is exactly that we do here? Well, among many other things, your child’s first appointment will include an evaluation of how we can best serve them. We will look at facial balance, symmetry, and growth. Each simple and quick test will allow us to configure an orthodontic plan to best suit you and your child. It turns out we’re far less frightening than dentists!
Good Results Begin with A Good Doctor/Patient Relationship
Believe it or not, we were all kids once too. We know that to some young ones coming to see a doctor, regardless of what kind, can sometimes be a rather ‘exciting’ experience. We at Smile More Orthodontics know that the key to maintaining a good relationship starts with making sure your child is comfortable with their treatment. Don’t worry; there won’t be any clowns or anything. We orthodontists have our limits too! We simply find that maintaining a relaxed and humorous environment works best!
Common treatment options
Braces aren’t the only service that we offer here at Smile More Orthodontics. We also offer an array of other treatment options to serve you and your child best! Whether it’s prepping for full-treatment or installing expanders, you’ll always receive a specialized treatment that works best for you!
Observation
Then comes the easy part! Following your first visit to us here, we simply wait! About every six months or so, we urge you to come back so we can decide when or if your child does, in fact, require our services. Each visit will be just as easy as the first as we wait for all the adult teeth to show themselves. It’s basically a long game of hide-and-seek. The best part of it all? These semi-annual checkups are completely free! We believe in the importance of planning ahead and monitoring your child’s progress. If treatment is decided upon, we will discuss finances. Until then, though, let us help ease your mind!
Phase I Braces
In the case of treatment, all children are different, though we can usually begin in a similar manner. A few brackets are placed on key teeth that can often make a significant difference for incoming adult teeth. These brackets can help close up big spaces, adjust cross-bites, and prevent various things that could potentially harm the gums, teeth, or bite. This stage, which we very coolly dubbed Phase One, is basically a braces quick fix followed by a retainer. It’s usually a precedent then for adult braces when your child enters their teenage years. By then, we’ll all be good friends!
Expanders
These slowly expand the jaws to make room for teeth while getting the back teeth into proper alignment. Don’t worry! During the consultation, we’ll explain why, when, if, and how these are used.