Orthodontics For Children and Teens
Orthodontics For Northern Colorado Children
While there is no exact age for children to begin orthodontic treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends visiting the orthodontist around age seven. By this age, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, making it easier for the orthodontist to diagnose and correct tooth and jaw problems sooner and without surgery.
Early Treatment Allows Dr. Crane and Dr. Seager To:
- Correct and guide the growth of your child’s jaw to help the permanent teeth come in straight
- Regulate the width of the upper and lower arches
- Create more space for crowded teeth
- Avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions later in life
- Correct thumb sucking and help improve minor speech problems
For parents, it’s not always easy to know if your child may need orthodontic treatment. Here are a few things to be aware of to help you spot potential orthodontic problems with your child’s smile early.
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- A hard time chewing or biting food
- Mouth breathing
- Finger or thumb sucking
- Crowded, misplaced, or blocked teeth
- Jaws that pop or make sounds when opening and closing
- Teeth that come together abnormally, or do not come together at all
- Jaws and teeth that are not proportionate to the rest of the face
- Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight
Contact our Crane & Seager Orthodontics office in Fort Collins or Loveland, Colorado to plan your child’s first visit. Remember, early treatment now will give your child a healthy, beautiful smile for the future.
Orthodontics For Northern Colorado Teens
You’ve just heard the three words that every teen dreads: “YOU NEED BRACES!”
BRACES?! WHAT NOW!?
Don’t worry! Braces aren’t nearly as scary as you may think. In fact, braces today come in a variety of styles, materials, and colors, making life with braces much easier, more comfortable, and even more stylish than in the past.
How Long Do I Have To Wear Braces?
The amount of time it takes to treat your smile with braces depends on three key factors:
- Early treatment — Early treatment allows orthodontists to monitor the growth of the jaw and recommend further orthodontic treatment if it becomes necessary. Not everybody receives early orthodontic treatment, and in some cases it may be recommended that a patient wait until they are older to receive treatment.
- Treatment Recommended — The amount of treatment recommended by the Crane & Seager Orthodontics team needed to correct a problem will determine how long the process takes. Different patients react to treatments differently, so while it may take one patient only 12 months to complete their treatment, it may take another patient 24 months. Treatment times can vary depending on how quickly your body responds and how much work is needed to give you the show-stopping smile you want.
- YOU! — Your willingness to use the appliances your orthodontist gives you plays a major role in the length of time it takes to complete your treatment. Always remember to take care of your braces and appliances; this will help make your treatment shorter.
Braces The Way You Want Them
At Crane & Seager Orthodontics, our offices in Fort Collins and Loveland, Colorado offers a variety of braces, types, and styles to choose from. Some common options include:
- Ceramic braces
- Invisible braces
- Traditional metal braces
Orthodontic braces are a big part of life for many people your age. While braces may have had a bad reputation in the past, today’s braces make it easy to look good and feel good. Contact our Fort Collins or Loveland, Colorado dental office to learn more about orthodontic treatment for teens and children.
Schedule Your Appointment
The first step toward achieving a beautiful, healthy smile is to schedule an appointment. Come in and see Crane & Seager today.
