Why The Teenage Years Are The Best Age For Braces
If your child has a less-than-perfect smile, you've probably considered braces. However, many people don't know that the teenage years are one of the best time for anyone to get braces. Waiting for adulthood isn't ideal, since your child's jaw will finish growing and it will be harder to make significant changes to the overall shape of your child's jaw and bite. If your kid is still a teen, here are reasons why they should get their braces now.
Past Childhood
Many people begin the process of having their teeth straightened in childhood, but it's actually better to wait until your child is a teenager for a variety of reasons.
For example, most teenagers have become aware of how their bodies work and aren't as likely to experience physical injuries on a daily basis as kids. Kids play, run, and get into accidents that older kids don't, all of which could potentially damage their braces or retainers. You're less likely to have broken hardware if you wait until your child is a teenager to get them braces.
Jaw Growth
While bone growth tends to slow down in the teen years, the important thing is that they're still growing and changing. If your child has major problems with their jaw shape, size, or growth, these are things that can be corrected with braces while the jaw is still growing. However, once the jaw is finished growing in your child's adulthood, these problems often can't be fixed with braces alone. Typically, surgical methods are required in order to make any major changes to the jaw, like lengthening it or shortening it, once one reaches adulthood. During the teen years, braces can be used to curb or enhance growth, correcting the way the jaw grows as it finishes its growth cycle.
Making a Choice
While the teen years are a good time to get teeth straightening started, it's understandable if your teen isn't too crazy about the idea. Braces can seem unsightly, especially when you're a teenager.
Thankfully, there are two ways to bypass this problem for your teen. One is to go with invisible braces, which can be removed and put back on for meals and for cleaning. Since they're made out of transparent plastic, they're nearly impossible to see. The other choice is sublingual braces, which are metal braces mounted to the back of the teeth so they're not visible to others while smiling.
If you think it's already too late, it's not. Getting your teenager braces now can potentially improve the look and functionality of their smile in ways that won't be as easy once your child is completely grown up. For more information, contact a company like Cobbe Dental & Orthodontics.