How Do I Know I Need Braces?

How Do I Know I Need Braces?

Orthodontic care is important for both children and adults. A beautiful, straight smile can not only boost your confidence and self-esteem, it can also greatly improve the function of your teeth. For children and adolescents, earlier is truly better. We can take advantage of their growing mouths and shifting teeth, meaning it's easier to manipulate the teeth into a straighter position. For adults, orthodontic treatment can take place at any time. Today, our Eldridge & Bettendorf orthodontist offers a number of orthodontic appliances for children, adolescents, and adults like metal braces, Invisalign Teen, and Invisalign.

What Age Is Best?

Many people think the pre-teen and teenage years are when you should sign your child up for their first orthodontic appointment. However, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends seeing a kids orthodontist at age seven. At an early age, an orthodontist can detect small problems with teeth or jaw development, while some baby teeth are still present. And, although your child's teeth may look straight, a childrens orthodontist may see underlying issues with their bite or teeth alignment. By checking into your child's teeth early, a treatment may be put in place that will prevent more serious problems from occurring later in life. With early treatment, we may be able to achieve results for your child that would not have been possible years later.

Signs My Child Needs Braces or I Need Braces

If you are worried about your child's teeth or your own teeth, there are a couple signs you can look out for. All of the following orthodontic issues can be corrected with our Bettendorf & Eldridge Invisalign or metal braces.

• Gaps & Spacing
• Misaligned Jaw Shape
• Chewing or Speaking Difficulties
• Crooked or Crowded Teeth
• Protruding Teeth

Please contact Mack Orthodontics for kids orthodontics and adults orthodontics if these issues are present. Our orthodontic team will create a customized orthodontic plan to correct these problems and give you a beautiful, straight smile.

Am I Too Old For Braces?

Adult orthodontics is the largest growing patient group at our Mack Orthodontics office. It is never too late to improve your smile with Invisalign or metal braces. Today, we have many different choices for orthodontic appliances. For adults, we usually recommend clear braces or Invisalign as they are less noticeable. Clear braces are very discrete. They do not require colored rubber bands, making them less noticeable. The high-tech orthodontic wires that are used do not need to be tightened as frequently as traditional metal braces, making them one of the easiest and most comfortable orthodontic options for adults.

Invisalign is another excellent option for orthodontic appliances. Invisalign consists of clear plastic aligners that are changed every two weeks to slowly move and adjust your teeth to the correct position. These appliances can be removed to eat, drink, brush, and floss. Both clear braces and Invisalign are adequate options to straighten your teeth. Of course, every patient is different from the next, meaning their smile goals and orthodontic needs will be different as well.

Schedule Your First Visit With Mack Orthodontics For Braces Today!

If you or your child need orthodontic treatment, please contact our orthodontic office. Our kids orthodontics and adult orthodontics are second to none in the Bettendorf & Eldridge area. To schedule your visit, call our office directly or request an appointment online. We cannot wait to transform your smile with braces!