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We Love Serving Kids With Their Best Confident Smile
At Castilla Orthodontics, we believe every child deserves exceptional care for a healthy, confident smile. Dr. Castilla recommends scheduling your child’s first orthodontic visit around age seven when some permanent teeth have come in. This is an ideal time to assess whether orthodontic treatment may be needed.
We provide braces for kids to help them begin their orthodontic journey with the best possible start. Our dedicated team will support your child throughout their treatment, ensuring they achieve a smile they can wear with confidence.
Phase One Treatment
Phase One treatment is an early orthodontic intervention designed to address significant issues in your child’s mouth before they become more complex. This phase is for children who are beginning to lose their baby teeth and have emerging permanent teeth. It typically lasts between six and 18 months, depending on your child’s specific needs.
Sometimes, Phase One consists of a single orthodontic appliance, while other times, Dr. Castilla determines limited braces to be suitable for your child. Depending on their age, we may remove select baby teeth to make the process smoother. We offer options such as metal, clear, gold, or colored braces and additional appliances like palate expanders, thumb-sucking devices, and orthodontic headgear.
Depending on what your child needs, we can use these appliances alone or in combination throughout your child’s orthodontic treatment. Dr. Castilla will use her extensive experience to determine the best course of action for your child’s teeth. As Phase One treatment tends to coincide with a few baby teeth, Dr. Castilla might even place brackets on some that won’t fall out for a while.
Early solutions offer distinct advantages by addressing minor issues before they become significant and costly. Treatment options for kids are particularly effective during periods of active growth, allowing us to guide the development of your child’s mouth. This gives us ample time to treat severe underbites, create space for crowded teeth, and more.
Before recommending Phase One treatment, we carefully assess your child’s oral health and habits. If your child struggles with oral hygiene or has cavities, we may suggest alternative treatments, as braces in these situations could do more harm than good.
To prepare for braces, encourage your child to practice good at-home care. Strong oral hygiene is essential for successful orthodontic treatment. During your visit, we’ll monitor the growth and development of your child’s jaws and permanent teeth to ensure they are on track.
Phase One treatment will focus on the upper teeth. After Phase One, your child will need to return for Phase Two treatment to continue their smile plan.
When to Consider Taking Your Child to Dr. Castilla
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends scheduling your child’s first orthodontic evaluation by age seven. At this stage, with some permanent teeth already coming in, we can detect potential issues like overcrowding, crossbites, and overbites. This early assessment helps us determine if Phase One treatment is necessary.
Evaluating your child’s orthodontic needs before all permanent teeth have emerged allows us to address issues more effectively. It also gives us time to plan for potential overcrowding and correct any crossbites or overbites.
Dr. Castilla will discuss your child’s orthodontic needs and readiness for treatment openly. If your child isn’t yet ready for Phase One, we will place them into an observation period to determine the optimal time to begin treatment.
How Orthodontics Can Help Your Child
Starting orthodontic treatment early, around age seven, allows us to address severe structural issues before the jawbones fully develop. This early intervention enables Dr. Castilla to guide your child’s dental development, often resulting in a shorter overall treatment time. It also helps correct poor oral habits early, reducing the risk of complications later.
Early treatment improves your child’s smile and minimizes the risk of future jaw problems, headaches, tooth decay, and even tooth loss. By taking advantage of your child’s growth spurts, we can optimize the development of their mouth and teeth for the best possible outcome.
Treatment Options — Types of Braces for Kids
One of the most significant advantages of braces for kids is the versatility in design. When you come in for an initial consultation, Dr. Castilla will offer a range of braces types and customization options. This allows your child to dictate some direction and style regarding their appearance, making the process more personal and exciting.
Metal Braces
Made from surgical-grade stainless steel, these braces for kids come to mind when you think of braces in the first place. Because orthodontics is a constantly advancing field, metal braces have come a long way and are much more comfortable and effective. Customize your metal braces with different colors and color combinations.
Gold Braces
Lightweight and stylish, these braces for kids work wonders for those who want a flashy look. Gold braces have slimmer brackets and wires than metal braces, giving them a sleek appearance without sacrificing efficiency.
Clear Braces
While braces are in style, clear braces for kids work wonders for those with reservations about having visible braces. Clear braces use the same mechanisms to straighten teeth as metal braces do, meaning each bracket will attach to each tooth to guide it into place.
Color Braces
Show off your braces in style with the customized color bands you choose! Patients can customize their brackets, choosing different colored rubber bands for a fun touch that fits their personality, favorite team, or holiday! For some color braces ideas, check out our Color My Braces page!
