Kids’ orthodontics
When should my child first see an orthodontist?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends you bring your child in to see a pediatric orthodontist at age 7. When you have your child’s growth and dental development monitored at a young age, an orthodontist for kids can pinpoint potential issues early in life, even if the child still has baby teeth.
Black Orthodontics offers early orthodontic assessment and treatment for kids in Asheville, North Carolina. Set your child up for a lifetime of straighter teeth! Schedule a free consultation for your child to see an experienced kids’ orthodontist near you at our kid-friendly office.
Common reasons to see a children’s orthodontist
When you bring your child in for their first orthodontist visit at Black Orthodontics, our pediatric orthodontist in Asheville will look out for several areas of concern. Common issues include:
- Teeth spacing
- Teeth crowding
- Crossbite
- Open bite
- Overbite / deep bite
- Jaw misalignment
Our pediatric orthodontic services
Free initial evaluation
During the initial visit, Dr. Black, our Asheville kids’ orthodontist, will evaluate your child’s dental development to ensure they’re progressing correctly and don’t have problems with their teeth or jaw.
If he discovers any areas of concern, he may recommend early orthodontic treatment. At this age, a child’s teeth and jawbones are still developing. If there are any problems like an overbite, it will be much easier to correct now rather than later. Also, early treatment prevents more severe problems in the future, saving both time and money.
Conservative treatment approach
Dr. Black is very conservative in his treatment approach and will only recommend treatment if necessary. If your child needs early braces, you can trust Dr. Black with their needs. This conservative approach ensures children receive the treatment they need when it’s needed.
Free Growth and Guidance Program
We can teach your child healthy habits and maintain their development – at no cost to you.
Not every child needs early orthodontic treatment, so we offer a free Growth & Guidance program where our pediatric orthodontist in Asheville monitors your child’s progress and identifies any problem spots.
Under this program, your child will visit our office every six to 12 months. We’ll combine visual analysis with innovative orthodontic technology to see the precise positioning of your child’s teeth and chart their movement over time. Watching the patterns from visit to visit will help Dr. Black determine the best time to start orthodontic treatment should it be needed in the future.
Our braces for kids' teeth
While braces are typically associated with teens, they can also create a healthy, beautiful smile in kids. Black Orthodontics offers the following types of braces for kids in Asheville:
- Traditional braces: Metal braces provide effective treatment and durability, and today’s options come with smaller brackets.
- Damon System braces: Damon braces use self-ligating brackets that have a sliding mechanism that keeps the archwire from needing retightening. Self-ligating braces offer faster and more comfortable kids’ braces treatment!
- Partial braces: Partial braces can correct many kid’s teeth issues. Unlike full braces, only a few teeth will have partial braces applied. These braces for kids are held in place by back brackets on the molars.
- Clear aligners: Clear aligners are an invisible, removable alternative to braces that use a series of clear, plastic trays to move teeth into place over time.
How much do braces cost for kids?
At Black Orthodontics, we don’t believe that the cost of braces for kids in Asheville should prevent your family from getting a picture-perfect smile. We also don’t believe in hiding our costs. While every patient’s total cost of braces for kids varies depending on the severity of their orthodontic issues, the treatment fee covers all necessary treatment plus one year of visits after your completed treatment. If you’re worried about being able to afford kids’ braces, contact us, and we will find a plan that works for your budget.
The benefits of early orthodontic care
While no two kids — or their teeth — have identical needs, most children do not need interceptive or early orthodontic treatment. However, early treatment can help influence the development and growth of the jaw for those who need it. With early treatment, we can take the least invasive approach to your child’s orthodontic issues.
Starting your child’s smile journey earlier in life can lead to:
- Plenty of room for teeth to grow into place.
- Healthier permanent teeth.
- Reduced likelihood of speech problems from orthodontic concerns.
- Reduced potential need for jaw surgery later in life.
- Reduced need for painful permanent tooth extractions later in life
- Greater facial symmetry.
- Stronger gums, teeth and jawbones.
- Faster and more comfortable results during future treatments if needed.
Two-Phase treatment
While interceptive care helps set your kid up for a healthy smile, they may need more treatment once their permanent teeth come in. This process is called Two-Phase orthodontic treatment.
- Phase One: Phase One is the early orthodontic treatment, where we will focus on your child’s jaw development so it can comfortably hold permanent teeth with a proper bite. If early treatment is needed, we’ll develop a plan to address development and alignment issues as your child grows. If recommended, kids typically only wear braces for six to 12 months to guide the teeth and the jaw bones back into place. Treatment time will vary depending on each patient’s specific needs.
- Phase-Two: Between the two phases, there will be a resting period, and then we’ll begin Phase-Two treatment around adolescence, focusing on teeth alignment with braces or clear aligners.
Schedule a free consultation!
A great smile is one of your most valuable assets. When you trust Black Orthodontics with your child’s teeth alignment, you benefit from a professional family orthodontist who understands and advises their treatment. Whether your child needs kids’ braces or clear aligners, our team is committed to helping them start their smile journey.
Getting straight teeth is less complicated and safer than ever. For more than 30 years, Dr. Black has been helping Asheville residents elevate their smiles with results that last a lifetime. Schedule a free online or in-person consultation with one of the best pediatric orthodontists near you in Asheville, NC, today!
