Orthodontic treatment for teens

Why do you need braces?

Braces are important for a number of different reasons. If you suffer from a common orthodontic issue, such as crowding, spacing or a problem relating to your jaw, then braces can correct any of these. Not only does orthodontic treatment straighten your teeth and improve your smile, it can lead to better overall health. One of the benefits of straight teeth is that you can chew your food properly, which helps with digestion, enables you to get all the nutrients from your food which means a healthier you!

Types of braces

Braces come in a variety of styles, materials, and colours, making life with braces much easier, more comfortable, and even more stylish than in the past. There are different types of appliances available, both fixed and removable, which are used to help move teeth, retrain muscles and affect the growth of the jaws. These appliances work by placing a constant, gentle force in a carefully controlled direction on the teeth, thereby moving the them slowly to a corrected position. The severity of your problem will determine which orthodontic approach is likely to be the most effective.

At the Specialist Orthodontic Practice, we can fit you with one of the following types of braces:

• Traditional metal braces
• Tooth-colored ceramic braces
• Hidden lingual braces
• Clear aligners
• Customised solutions; a combination of several options mentioned above to achieve the most discreet and fundamentally efficient treatment for you

Functional appliances

• Twin block
  The Twin Block is a removable, functional appliance to help encourage growth of the lower jaw and improve your overjet. It is made up of two components, an upper and lower plate which works together to posture the lower jaw forward and encourages the jaw to grown to its fullest potential.
• Herbst® Appliance
  The Herbst appliance reduces overbite by encouraging the lower jaw forward and the upper molars backward. This appliance is used mostly for younger, growing children and is worn for about 12-15 months.

Treatment times

Treatment times can vary, but often treatment takes 18 months to 2 years to complete. Patients grow at different rates and will respond variously to orthodontic treatment, so the time to case completion may differ from the original estimate. The patient’s diligent use of any prescribed elastics and other appliances is an important factor in achieving the most efficient treatment. Afterwards you will be provided with retainers to keep your new smile and bite in the correct position.

The amount of time it takes to treat your smile with braces depends on three key factors:

• Early treatment — Early treatment allows orthodontists to monitor the growth of the jaw and recommend further orthodontic treatment if it becomes necessary. Not everybody receives early orthodontic treatment; in some cases it may be recommended that a patient wait to receive treatment

• What needs correction — The amount of treatment needed to correct a problem will determine how long the process takes. Different patients react to treatments differently. While it may take one patient only 12 months to complete treatment, it may take another patient 24 months. Treatment times can vary depending on how quickly your body responds and how much work is needed to give you the show-stopping smile you expect

• You! — Your willingness to use the appliances your orthodontist gives you plays a major role in the length of time it takes to complete your treatment. Always remember to take care of your braces and appliances; this truly will help make your treatment shorter!

At SOP, we take advantage of the best technologies in orthodontics to complete your treatment in the most effective and efficient way possible that suits you and your lifestyle. The foundation of our practice is “evidence-based care”. By focusing on the scientific literature and what the research in our field tells us, we get one step closer to great results.

Contact the SOP team

If you would like more information on whether you could benefit from orthodontic treatment and which type of treatment is right for you, please contact SOP to book your free consultation.