If your children are ready for orthodontics, it is time for some information on what kind would be best for each one. Some orthodontists will do a consult free of charge so that you will know what you have to deal with long term, including the cost and what different kinds of braces they install. One such option is Invisalign, clear braces or clear removable aligners so that it is less obvious that they are wearing braces of some sort. The aligners are replaced approximately every two weeks, and can be removed to eat or to brush the teeth or to floss. The results are surprising as they work more quickly than you would think, and they are not as painful as the conventional wire braces. However, the consultation will be the only way to know if your child can use these, or if the need the conventional braces or even some sort of a head set to move their teeth into place.
Having teeth straightened is not just a question of looks, although that is important, especially to a teenager. Crooked and misaligned teeth can cause other health problems all throughout life. A bad bite can make people grind their teeth at night and wear them down, so that, at some point they will have to be either capped or pulled. Also, misaligned teeth can cause TMJ, which is a painful dislocation of the mandibular joint and can cause loss of hearing and horrendous headaches. While it is best that your family dentist addresses the options with you, it takes an orthodontist to decide what needs to be done and for how long the braces of any sort need to be in place along with what kind of braces are best for each individual child. If you have friends who have children that needed braces in the past, it might be to your advantage to ask them who they used for the orthodontic work. You can also look on line for orthodontists in your area and find out what other patients have said about them, if their site has that option. Also, your family dentist may have an orthodontist that he or she has had a cooperative relationship with in the past, and it may be more than one that their other patients have used. The location of the orthodontist might also be of some concern if you will need to leave work to take your child to appointments. Look into all options available in your area.