Orthodontics (Braces)

Orthodontics can create beautiful smiles, enhance optimum oral health, and improve self esteem in children and adults! By age 7 the dentition and the jaws have developed enough for an orthodontist to identify current and to anticipate future problems. Early intervention helps to guide the growth of the jaws and regulate the width of the dental arches. Proper guidance helps to enable appropriate positions for permanent teeth. Orthodontics frequently aids in the correction of speech problems and abnormal swallowing patterns, amongst other associated difficulties. For these reasons, and others, the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children receive an evaluation no later than age 7. It is estimated that 20% of orthodontic patients are adults. In addition to helping correct many dental abnormalities orthodontics is frequently the focal point of enhanced cosmetic dentistry.