Orthodontic Treatment

The kind of orthodontic treatment you’ll have depends on your treatment needs and what Dr. Cox recommends. Below are some of the most common orthodontic treatment options:

Traditional braces consist of standard metal brackets. This is the most common type of braces, and they have become much sleeker and more comfortable with advancements in technology. With metal braces, you also have the option of adding colored elastic bands to make your braces vibrant, colorful, and uniquely yours!

Not all braces brackets have to be metal. If you want your braces to be less noticeable, clear braces may be for you. Clear braces function in the same way as traditional metal braces, but the brackets are made with translucent materials.

Invisalign clear aligners are a clear set of custom-fitted removable trays made with a pliable material that fits snuggly to your teeth. Each new set of Invisalign aligners applies a slight adjustment to your teeth. Since they’re removable, you can take them out while eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing so you can easily maintain good oral health habits. You can also remove them for special occasions.

To create a healthy smile for a lifetime, a child’s teeth need to be straight and their jaws need to be aligned properly. It’s beneficial to have an orthodontist examine your child while they still have some of their baby teeth. By age seven, typically enough permanent teeth have emerged to evaluate relationships developing between the teeth, the jaw, and bite patterns for a pediatric dentist to make sure everything in the mouth will continue to develop as it should.

If a pediatric dentist or orthodontist determines that early treatment is necessary, it often occurs in two phases. The first phase will begin right away while baby teeth are still present, and the second phase will occur when your child gets older at the time deemed appropriate by their growth and development.

Early treatment will help prevent larger oral issues later, and thus prevent more invasive orthodontic procedures when the child gets older. Early prevention and intervention makes orthodontic work as a teenager much more comfortable and successful.