Teens Orthodontist | Orthodontics for Teenagers
Many parents and their teenagers get very anxious when they think of adding braces to adolescence’s emotional and physical roller coaster. Don’t worry! Orthodontic treatment is far less scary than you may think. We always begin with a complimentary evaluation with a board-certified orthodontic specialist, Dr. Carmen Briceño Crespi, and our fantastic staff. Once we identify a need for treatment, we explain in detail all of the options available to get you to your ideal smile. We then make a custom treatment plan and let you decide what style and type of treatment you want to choose.
At Lakes Orthodontics, we offer you the latest and “coolest” ways to straighten teeth and correct bite issues. Braces today are much smaller and less noticeable than in the past, and they come in various materials, styles, and colors.
Choose your style of braces:
Our practice offers a variety of orthodontic treatment options for our patients to choose from. Some common options include:
- Ceramic (clear) braces
- Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, and Invisalign Express.
- Traditional metal braces with or without colors (colors can be changed at each appointment).
Another common question is: “How long will I have to wear braces?”
At Lakes Orthodontics, we treat every patient based on their specific needs and preferences, and then we custom design a treatment plan to help them achieve their ideal smile!
The length of treatment time is dependent on three main factors:
What are the patient’s needs?
The amount of time it will take to correct a problem will determine the overall treatment length. Besides, each patient reacts to his or her treatment differently. After all, we are humans, not robots! Treatment times can vary based on how rapidly your body responds and how much work is necessary to give you the beautiful smile you deserve. An estimated treatment time is always given to each patient after Dr. Briceño Crespi studies and designs each patient’s specific treatment.
The Patient! The Teen!
Your willingness to follow Dr. Crespi’s instructions and use the appliances we give you greatly impacts the length of time it takes to complete treatment and results in your beautiful smile. It is always important to remember to take care of your braces and appliances; this will help make your treatment time faster and end with optimal results!
Make it to your appointments!
Teens are very busy and always have a lot going on in their lives between school, sports, social events, etc. Canceling their adjustment appointments for other activities will delay the length of treatment. Remember, Dr. Briceño Crespi plans out a custom-designed treatment plan for each patient that includes scheduled follow-up appointments to monitor, adjust, and advance her patient’s treatment. The average time between appointments is six weeks apart, and adjustments tend to take a half hour or less.
So, whether it appears or you think that your teenager needs orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign Teen or braces, the easiest way to find out is to make a free no, obligation consultation with the award-winning, board-certified Miami Lakes orthodontist Dr. Carmen Briceño Crespi. Call us at (305) 820-6800 or fill out the form below, and one of our smile specialists will contact you as indicated.
Here’s More Info Related to Braces Orthodontist for Teens in the Miami Lakes Area
How Long Does Invisalign Take?
Before embarking on any orthodontic journey, you will most likely be itching to know when the journey will be over. Whether it be braces or Invisalign, you will want to know how long you will have to wear the devices.
There are many benefits to Invisalign over traditional braces. For starters, Invisalign is an almost invisible alternative to traditional braces. It may seem superficial, but when you wear braces people could notice the braces before any other feature and, thus, know you mainly by the wires on your mouth. With Invisalign, your dental care will remain between you and your orthodontist. People will only be able to notice the Invisalign aligners if they examine your mouth closely.
On top of its superior appearance, Invisalign also is more comfortable and less painful than traditional braces. You are able to remove your aligners while eating, which makes the process a lot easier. Possibly the best benefit to Invisalign is that it can actually take less time than traditional braces. Braces generally take at least 2 years, while Invisalign can have your teeth looking perfect in 12 to 18 months.
Keep in mind that this is an average number. Some traditional braces are kept on for up to 4 years or even longer, and some are only kept on for 1 year. Invisalign varies as well, depending on the amount of movement your teeth have to make. You are required to keep your aligners at all times, unless you are eating or brushing your teeth. You should keep your eating periods within 2 to 4 hours per day so that you will be wearing your aligners for 20 to 22 hours each day. If you wear your Invisalign aligners for less time than this, they will not be as effective. This will hinder their effectiveness, causing your teeth to move at a slower rate. When worn properly, Invisalign can work twice as fast as traditional braces do in fixing your teeth.
When wearing Invisalign, the aligners must be changed every 2 weeks or faster in many cases which means that you are constantly improving your teeth at a very rapid rate. In addition, the Invisalign aligners can move teeth in different directions simultaneously as the plastic aligners make 360-degree contact with each individual tooth. This is not possible with braces as the movement of the teeth is guided by a wire that cannot move each tooth in a separate direction. The benefit to Invisalign adjustments is that they do not require a visit. All you have to do is swap out your aligners. Check-ups are still recommended every 6 weeks. Invisalign aligners do not impose any food restrictions as long as you are eating within 2 to 4 hours. This means you are free to enjoy popcorn, taffy, and all of the other foods that are banned from those who wear traditional braces. Coffee and soda will stain your aligners, so you should be very diligent in brushing your teeth after drinking these or eating anything similar that could stain your aligners.
Invisalign is more comfortable overall, as the metal brackets and wires are not poking and scraping the inside of your mouth at all times. With the smooth plastic of Invisalign, there is no need to fool with wax and other frustrating solutions.
If you are interested in Invisalign, please contact us for more information.