Braces are an effective treatment for people of all ages.
We offer treatment for children, for teens, for adolescents and for adults. In other words, every age is the “best” age to get braces!
Although anyone can benefit from braces, there is an optimal age to undergo treatment. The prime period for getting braces is between the ages of 9 and 14, while the mouth is still growing.
Early Detection
Around the age of 7, your child should visit our office for the first time. Though we won’t begin treatment immediately, we will begin to monitor your child’s orthodontic growth at this time. Baby teeth are falling out, and permanent teeth are erupting and beginning to settle. This stage of growth is ideal for detecting behaviors that will inevitably develop into problematic orthodontic conditions within a couple of months or years. Dr. Dunn and Dr. Schreiber are able to detect these problematic growth patterns during early-life checkups. Detecting conditions during the optimal years of a child’s life will prevent serious measures, such as jaw surgery, from becoming necessary. Once conditions are detected, intervention may begin.
Early Intervention
Intervening to correct a condition in a person’s early teens will prevent the condition from worsening and negatively impacting their quality of life. If a young teen has crowded teeth, this might mean their mouth is too narrow to fit all permanent teeth properly. Crowded teeth and a disproportionate mouth size can hinder a person’s ability to breathe and sleep easily. It can cause constant discomfort and lead to gum disease. In a case like this one, if the condition is detected early, we can begin a braces treatment and a palatal expander that will widen the mouth to make room for permanent teeth to stabilize in a healthy alignment for a healthy bite. Treating problematic conditions early on will improve your child’s quality of life sooner than later!
Shorter Treatment Period
When treatment begins earlier, treatment ends earlier. This is a major plus to getting braces treatment during the young teen years! When teeth are still emerging and settling into place, they’re easily guided by the pressure of braces. Poor habits, such as thumb sucking and grinding teeth at night, are infamous for damaging a person’s smile and jaw alignment. Once the orthodontic damage from these conditions is detected, treatment may begin much earlier. It takes less force and less time to correct a smile when treatment begins in the early teen years, before permanent teeth have completely stabilized.
When it comes to orthodontic care, the earlier the better! Early detection of conditions, around age 7, allows for early intervention. Intervening with orthodontic conditions before the permanent teeth are fully emerged and settled, around ages 9 to 14, makes treatment shorter and more effective.
Though there is an optimal age to target orthodontic conditions with braces, it’s never too late to get braces treatment. We offer invisible braces and affordable braces for children, teens and adults. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We’re here to answer all of your questions.
If you’re seeking an orthodontist near Wetumpka, Millbrook or Montgomery, Alabama, request your initial free exam with Dr. Dunn and Dr. Schreiber today!
