At Park Lane, we understand that your child’s first orthodontic appointment can be overwhelming. Our friendly team of orthodontists will do everything to make sure your child is comfortable and at ease, though it is very normal to experience some resistance on their first visit!
Your child’s first orthodontic appointment should be around the age of 9, to ensure that your child does not need any early intervention. Orthodontic treatment is normally performed once your child has all of their adult teeth.
Having complications with misaligned teeth when you’re a young person or teen can be really challenging, especially in an image-concious society. Giving your child that extra push to undergo orthodontic treatment could be life-changing, helping them regain their confidence and boosting their dental health.
What types of treatment can my child undergo?
There are several types of treatment to help your child on their journey to straighter teeth. The type of treatment will depend on what needs to be done to make your child”s teeth straighter and healthier. Typically, children and young people will need braces with wires and rubber bands, the former moving them gently into a better position and the latter improving alignment complications.
Removable plastic braces
Introducing plastic, removable braces to your child early on if they have misaligned teeth can help straighten your child’s teeth and create more space for their adult teeth to grow. By introducing removable braces early, the foundations are laid for any necessary treatment later on and hopefully this will reduce the need for extraction later on.
Functional Braces
This type of brace is used to resolve problems with your child’s bite- more specifically when the top teeth bite in front of the lower teeth. These are worn on either the bottom or top set of teeth, (sometimes both, day and night). Functional braces help guide your child’s teeth and bite into a more comfortable position. This type soy treatment has been proven to be more effective for children when they are 10+ years old.
Fixed Braces
These are an option once your child has all their adult teeth. Fixed braces (or traditional braces), are a secure appliance fitted to your child’s teeth, designed to set them into a desired position overtime. The average treatment is between 12-24 months though your orthodontist will be able to give you a more specific treatment period.
Fixed metal braces are available in colours, which can be a good incentive to get your child to wear braces if they are reluctant. Here at Park Lane we have a range of colours to choose from.
Of course, it can also be daunting for teenagers who are often self-conscious about their brace. Our solution to this is a more discreet type of brace that is designed to go more unnoticed by blending in with their teeth