Getting Started On Your Orthodontic Journey Planning your journey 3

Getting Started On Your Orthodontic Journey

• ’

• Ages 7-10
• Need to monitor to ensure normal eruption of permanent teeth at the right time
• Need to plan for lack of spacing for the larger permanent teeth if crowding is an issue
• Need to look for bite issues that can affect growth of the jaws. Once patients develop imbalances in their jaw development, it is more difficult to correct.
• Crowding can often be reduced through expansion of the dental arches
•  

• 

• Ages 11-14
• Ideal age due to peers undergoing treatment/social acceptance of treatment
• Ideal timing for certain appliances/procedures that require growth. Missing this growth support may severely limit options for treatment and result in need for more complex treatment or compromised treatment options.
• Permanent teeth are generally present
• Teeth that are unable to erupt normally due to abnormal loss of deciduous (baby) teeth or severe crowding can be addressed if needed to enable teeth to erupt at their normal timing. Delaying normal eruption may cause problems with the teeth that are unable to erupt normally as well as cause damage to the other teeth.
•  

• 

• Ages 15-18
• Finishing before high school ends generally makes orthodontic treatment more convenient
• Nobody wants to have braces their senior year
• Expansion can often be accomplished without surgery if necessary at this age
• Teeth that haven’t come in can still be addressed with less difficulty than in adults

• 

• 

• Getting Started On Your Orthodontic Journey

• Who doesn’t want a great smile? A lot of adults who had given up on ever having attractive, straight teeth are now finding their way to the orthodontist, thanks to recent technology that has made braces much less visible and much more comfortable.
•  
• While some adults simply want to improve their appearance, others are interested in correcting problems with their teeth or jaws that can cause real damage over time. Tooth decay, gum disease, early wear and tear – all can be a result of teeth and jaws that are not properly aligned.

•