Child & Teen Orthodontics Services

Is it time to consider orthodontic treatments for your child or teenager? A screening is the best way to determine your child’s needs and to help you decide if and when to begin treatment. Call us at 515-285-6134 and a member of our team can schedule your child’s appointment and a free consultation with Dr. Austin Foster in our Des Moines, Knoxville or Pleasantville locations. 

When You Should Start Orthodontics Services for Your Child

The childhood and teenage years are a great time to begin orthodontic treatment. The American Association of Orthodontists® recommends that a child receive their first orthodontic screening by age 7, and we encourage you to bring your child to our office by this age to evaluate their need for orthodontic treatment. When we are able to start treatment early enough, we can often detect and correct potential problems before they become more serious. This can help save time as well as money. 

Appropriately timed orthodontic treatment is advantageous because a growing child’s teeth have not finished erupting; this allows us to guide their eruption and address any problems at the earliest possible stage. Whether your child needs removable or fixed appliances, early orthodontic treatment can help to: 

• Provide more room for crowded erupting teeth. 
• Preserve space for teeth that have not yet erupted. 
• Create facial symmetry by guiding jaw growth. 
• Reduce the possible need for tooth extraction. 
• Reduce the overall treatment time. 

The Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment

By bringing your child in for an orthodontics consultation, you're giving us the opportunity to help address potential issues before they become a bigger problem. Early orthodontic treatment can help your child avoid abnormal alignment or overcrowding as their adult teeth come in, or in cases where they have jaw issues, it can help avoid surgery down the road.

During your child's initial consultation, we will evaluate their needs and clearly communicate our recommendations to you, even if our recommendation is that they don't need early treatment. We prioritize your child's individual needs and only recommend treatment when it's needed.

Difference Between Child and Teen Orthodontics Services

Child or early orthodontics services are focused on providing treatment options before adult teeth come in. By starting before your child has all their adult teeth, we can help address potential problems earlier and guide adult teeth as they grow.

Teen orthodontics services are often rendered once most or all permanent teeth have come in (aside from wisdom teeth). The most common treatment for teens are braces and retainers to help fix any crooked or misaligned teeth. Just as we approach evaluating the treatment needs of young children, we evaluate each teenager's unique needs and recommend the treatment options that are best for them.

Ongoing Child & Teen Orthodontics Services

Regardless of the age of your child or teen, when you bring them to our practice, Dr. Foster will be able to determine whether treatment is needed and when it should begin. We use the latest technical advances in orthodontic imaging, appliances and retention options to provide the best patient experience. If orthodontic treatment is needed, we will create a personalized treatment plan for optimal results, working with you and your insurance carrier to ensure the treatment plan is something you’re financially comfortable with. 

Ready to set up your child's orthodontic consultation? Call us or request an appointment today!