Growing into a Beautiful Smile: Children’s Braces in Elk Grove, CA
Patients of any age can benefit from orthodontics for poor dental alignment. However, braces tend to work more efficiently, especially for complex problems, when used in teenage and adolescent years. If certain facial or dental development issues are noticed early, children as young as seven may be recommended for orthodontic care. In order to treat oral health and aesthetic issues caused by a misaligned smile, Elk Grove Kid’s Dentist and Orthodontics provide braces for children in Elk Grove and surrounding areas.
Why Braces Matter
Teeth misalignment and a bad bite, known as a malocclusion, are caused by several factors. Some of the most common causes of malocclusion include:
- Thumb and finger sucking
- Prolonged pacifier use
- Poor oral hygiene or nutrition
Poorly aligned teeth have a negative impact on your child’s ability to bite, chew food, and speak. Malocclusion also creates areas between teeth which are hard to clean, increasing your child’s risk of developing gum disease or tooth decay. By visiting our practice for orthodontic treatment, your child receives care to keep their smile healthy.
How to Get Braces for your Child
Your child’s first orthodontic appointment starts with a preliminary assessment of their smile, which includes examining results from X-rays. This is the planning stage, where our dentist will diagnose the type of malocclusion and develop the most effective orthodontic treatment for your child’s needs.
There are a variety of orthodontic appliances your child may benefit from traditional fixed braces, headgear, and retainers.
- Traditional braces are composed of brackets affixed to the teeth and connected by an archwire. These braces apply steady pressure to encourage proper alignment. While the brackets and wires are commonly made of metal, there are ceramic and clear bracket options available, which blend into the smile.
- If your child’s smile displays developmental irregularities, wearing headgear may be recommended. Orthodontic headgear is custom-made to aid braces in moving teeth and encourages the proper growth of a child’s facial and jaw structure.
- By wearing a retainer after completing treatment, your child is at a lower risk of relapse, where the teeth shift back out of place. Retainers keep teeth in place and are removable for easy teeth cleaning with few dietary restrictions.
Contact Our Practice Today!
Elk Grove Kid’s Dentist and Orthodontics provides braces and other orthodontic treatments for children in Elk Grove, CA and the surrounding communities. For more information, contact our practice.