If your child needs braces or early orthodontic treatment, you’re probably wondering what you can expect during their orthodontics appointments. Here’s what you need to know.
Pediatric Orthodontic Consultation
Orthodontic treatment begins with a consultation. This consultation may look different depending on whether your child needs early orthodontic treatment or braces, but the basics are the same.
New Patient Exam
After going over your child’s dental and medical history, and your concerns about their smile, we perform a comprehensive new patient exam. This includes examining their teeth, assessing their jaw, and evaluating how the top and bottom arches fit together when your child bites down.
Imaging and Impressions
In most circumstances, we'll need to take x-rays and images of your child’s teeth to help us plan their treatment, although if your family already comes to our practice for dental care, we may have the x-rays we need in our system.
We’ll also take digital impressions to help us understand how your child’s teeth meet and interact when biting and chewing. These impressions allow us to create a three-dimensional model that is used for treatment planning. With this information, we can determine the best course of treatment and how the teeth and jaw need to be adjusted in order to improve your child’s oral health.
Understanding Your Child’s Options
Sometimes, your child may have only one treatment option available, while in other cases, there could be a range of possible solutions. Your child’s orthodontist will go over treatment options with you, showing you what each one looks like, explaining the advantages and disadvantages, and providing an estimated treatment timeline. We can also provide you an estimate of the costs involved and your out-of-pocket expenses if your dental insurance covers orthodontic treatment.
We'll give you and your child the chance to ask us questions, then we can either schedule your child’s next appointment, or you can go home and think about how you’d like to proceed. We’re always available to answer any additional questions you might have!
Starting Orthodontic Treatment
If you opt to start orthodontic treatment, your child’s next appointment will vary depending on whether they need an oral appliance, braces, or Invisalign aligners. In some cases, treatment may begin with the next appointment, but in others, additional imaging and measurements may be needed in order to design an appliance for your child.
Follow-Up Appointments
Once your child begins their treatment, they will come to our office on a regular basis so we can monitor their progress and adjust their braces or appliance, if needed. The frequency of these appointments depends on the type of treatment, but follow-ups will be much shorter than your child’s previous appointments.
Learn More About Pediatric Orthodontics
Does your child need braces or early orthodontic treatment? If you’d like to learn more about our pediatric orthodontic services or to schedule an appointment, contact us today to set up a consultation with one of our pediatric orthodontists.
