Most people think of teenagers when they hear that someone is about to start orthodontic treatment because this was the primary age group that received braces in years past. However, the dental world has changed a lot in the past several years. Today, younger children may be good candidates foraccelerated orthodontic treatment in Bethesda MD and adults are opting for orthodontic treatment with Invisalign in record numbers.

What is Accelerated Orthodontic Treatment?

The American Orthodontic Association now recommends that children complete an orthodontic evaluation around age seven. While the average age to start orthodontic treatment is 14, some children can get a jump start on it while they still have baby teeth. Children’s jaws are more flexible at this age, and Dr. Alan Heller may want to create some space for permanent teeth to shift later.

Early intervention involves your child wearing braces and/or another dental device for several months. Dr. Heller then removes the braces or halts the treatment until your child has all their permanent teeth and is ready to begin the second phase. Below are just some of the benefits ofaccelerated orthodontic treatment in Laurel MD.

• Ability to correct bite alignment before all permanent teeth erupt.
• Can reduce the complexity of second-phase treatment.
• Corrects facial asymmetry.
• Improves your child’s appearance, smile, and confidence.
• May prevent the need to extract permanent teeth later.

As with all dental procedures, you also need to consider potential drawbacks. For example, is your child mature enough to care for their braces or oral appliance? Are you willing to ensure your child’s compliance with treatment?

Dr. Heller will answer these questions and more during a personal consultation with you and your child. Please reach out to Heller Orthodontics to reserve your time to come in and see us.