Scheduling Guidelines
We appreciate your interest in Orthodontic care for your child. We are all dedicated in providing the greatest care and in achieving the best possible result for every patient!
Properly aligned teeth and jaws can prevent tooth decay, gum disease and other serious health problems. Having an attractive smile for the rest of your life, is a pretty nice side effect as well. Without a question, Orthodontics is an investment that rewards you for a lifetime!
When is the right time to visit an orthodontist?
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that every child have an orthodontic screening by the age of 7 and maintain regular orthodontic observations as directed by the doctor. Every child is different, so some may need to visit the Orthodontist sooner to address varies issues. Research has shown that serious orthodontic problems can be easily corrected when the patient’s jaw is still growing and is flexible. Malocclusions, or bad bites, can be recognized as early as 2-3 years of age. Often, early steps can be taken to reduce the need for major orthodontic treatment at a later age. Your pediatric dentist will monitor your child’s health closely and advise you to seek an orthodontist.
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Getting Started
Did you know that Dr. Glenn, our Orthodontist, is in line to become the first female president of The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)?? You can be sure that your child is receiving treatment from a premier orthodontist. We are lucky to have her! Go Dr. Glenn!
Initial Orthodontic Evaluation
Thank you for coming to see us, we truly look forward to meeting you and your child! At this important visit, any concerns you may have are addressed and the doctor will make a clinical examination of the teeth and jaws. If your child is ready to get started, we can discuss the next few steps at that appointment. Sometimes, no treatment is needed at that time, and we will continue to monitor closely your child’s growth and development. Since every patient is different, we realize their needs will be different as well. Our team works hard to assure a smooth visit, making your child feel comfy.
We are proud to offer two Phases of Orthodontic Care for your children, in addition to varies Orthodontic appliances.
Phase I
Early Treatment: This period of treatment varies from 5 to 10 years of age, when both primary and permanent teeth are present. At this young age, we are concerned with underdeveloped dental arches, the premature loss of primary teeth and harmful habits such as finger or thumb sucking. Treatment during this Phase also addresses jaw malrelationships and dental realignment problems. When these issues are addressed early on, there is great success and many times, though not always, can eliminate the need for future orthodontic treatment. This is an excellent stage to start treatment, when indicated, as your child’s hard and soft tissues are usually very responsive to orthodontic or orthopedic forces.
Phase II
Mature Dentition: After the permanent teeth have erupted, usually between ages 12-14, complete braces are placed for final alignment and detailing of the bite. If a patient has been through Phase I Orthodontics, this final stage of treatment is quicker and easier on the patient. Doing orthodontic treatments in two steps provides excellent results, often allowing the doctor to avoid the removal of permanent teeth and jaw surgery. If a patient did not have Phase I Orthodontics, Phase II can still be preformed, with great results.
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Life with Braces
There are many scary stories about what you can and cannot eat. The truth is, we care about you and your future smile. Some foods are not friendly to teeth that have braces or appliances that may be in your mouth. Food that cannot be cleaned off the braces may lead to discoloration and decay of your teeth. Even though our braces and wires are metal or ceramic, they are fragile and are usually damaged by eating the wrong foods, thus taking us longer to finish our treatment.
Here is the BIG NO NO… For sure, no gum (even if it is sugarless) or sticky food
Some examples of sticky foods are: Skittles, candy bars with caramel, Starbursts, and toffee
Avoid hard or tough foods such as: Ice cubes, nuts, bagels, hard candy, popcorn kernels, corn chips, Doritos
Cut the following foods into small pieces and chew with the back teeth: apples, carrots, pizza
Soda and Gatorades are not good for your teeth as it is, but is even worse while you having braces on.
The sugar plus the plaque equal acid. The acid can cause decalcification.
Please continue to eat the foods that you love and that love your teeth such as: Jell-o, ice-cream, yogurt, cheese, soft bread soft chips like Cheetos puff balls, and so forth! Yummy!
Before you know it, you will be out of treatment with an amazing smile. Sticking to these guidelines will get you there quicker.
