Adolescent Treatment
Straight teeth don’t always come naturally. It’s common for adolescents to have crooked or crowded teeth that don’t fit together quite right. This can affect their appearance as well as how they talk and chew.
This problem can be fixed with adolescent treatment from your orthodontist in Staten Island, NY. If you’re a parent, you want your child to have straight, healthy teeth. We can help with that. We provide adolescent orthodontic services to help your child’s teeth fit together beautifully.
Bring your teen to an orthodontist’s office where they can receive top-notch care for braces or clear aligners. Our orthodontic practice helps patients resolve their orthodontic problems for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
What Is Adolescent Orthodontic Treatment?
By the time your child is an adolescent, they’ll have most or all of their adult teeth. They’re also growing fast, and their bodies are changing regularly. Adolescent treatment during this time corrects the position of the adult teeth while harnessing the power of their natural growth. With braces or clear aligners installed, we’ll help your child develop a naturally beautiful mouth with straight teeth.
Adolescent Orthodontic Services
We offer orthodontic services to help our patients find the right treatment for their needs. When your child comes in for their orthodontic evaluation, we’ll help determine which treatment is best.
Braces
Braces are traditionally made of metal, but can also be made of tooth-colored ceramic. Braces are made of brackets that are attached to the teeth and adjusted periodically to guide the teeth into the correct position. Braces are a tried-and-true method of correcting many orthodontic problems. If your child has mild to severe orthodontic issues to correct, braces are a go-to tool that can help.
Clear Aligners
Clear aligners are made from clear plastic that fits over the arches of the teeth. Clear aligners gently move the teeth into place, similar to braces. Whereas braces can get caught on food and affect what your teen can eat, clear aligners are removed at meals and for cleaning, to make the experience of wearing clear aligners very positive. Clear aligners are also very discrete and difficult to see even up close.
Who Needs To Be Assessed for Adolescent Treatment?
All kids can benefit from orthodontic screening. Sometimes the signs that your child needs braces or clear aligners can be subtle. Bringing your child to the orthodontist for an evaluation can help determine whether your child has a problem that can be corrected with orthodontic treatment.
Signs Your Child Needs Braces
Watch for these signs that your teen needs braces:
- Their jaw doesn’t line up properly when their mouth is closed.
- Your child’s jaw clicks when they chew, or their jaw hurts.
- Your child’s teeth are crowded and there is no space for their adult teeth to grow.
- Your child frequently bites the inside of their mouth.
- Your child has difficulty saying certain words.
Benefits of Adolescent Treatment
Getting your child orthodontic treatment can help correct problems with how they chew and talk. Orthodontic treatment can also help your child’s face development. Doing this when your child is an adolescent can help your child enjoy healthy teeth and gums into adulthood.
Adolescent Treatment FAQs
When should my child be evaluated for orthodontic treatment?
Bring your child in as early as age seven.
Do all teens need to be evaluated for orthodontic treatment?
All teens can benefit from orthodontic screening to determine whether they need braces, clear aligners, or other treatment.
How long will my teen need to wear braces?
Every patient is different. Typically, patients wear braces for one to three years. We can give you an estimated length of time when you bring your child in for an orthodontic screening.
Are braces uncomfortable?
Installing braces is generally not an uncomfortable process. Once the braces are in place, your child may experience discomfort for a few days. Eating soft foods and taking over-the-counter pain medication usually helps with this. The discomfort should go away in a few days. They may experience similar discomfort when we tighten their braces, but this is also temporary.
How should my teen maintain their braces?
Have your teenager brush their teeth after every meal. They should also avoid crunchy or hard foods. Have your teen use a floss threader to floss their teeth once per day.
What are the benefits of clear aligners?
Clear aligners are removable and made from clear plastic. This makes them difficult to see and easy to maintain. Many adolescent patients prefer clear aligners for this reason. Clear aligners can be removed at meals, which means that your child can eat their normal diet while they have clear aligners.
Contact Us Today!
Does your child need adolescent orthodontic treatment in Staten Island, NY? Call today to make their first appointment.
