Braces for all Ages

Kids: The American Association of Orthodontists and Dr. Grider recommend that children be checked by an orthodontist at age 7. This initial examination can detect any abnormalities that may hinder good development of the jaws and permanent teeth. In Dr. Grider's practice, early treatment is not routinely recommended. Interceptive treatment is only suggested for those problems which simply cannot wait due to detrimental growth patterns, or risk of damage to the teeth. More often, the child is seen yearly for "Growth and Guidance" visits until such time treatment is needed. There is never a charge for the initial consultation or growth checks. The purpose of these visits is to insure that your child begins treatment at the optimal time.

Teens: Most of our young patients are treated around age 12, and treatment usually lasts 20-24 months. More complex cases may require a few months longer. Teenagers can be treated with traditional mini-braces or clear porcelain braces. For some situations we may recommend a newer type of braces called self-ligating braces. They are also known as Damon or In-Ovation brackets, as those are two common trade names. These self-ligating brackets can offer significant advantages in treating certain types of cases.

Adults: Many of the recent developments in orthodontics have been focused on helping our mature patients fix their smiles. Ceramic or porcelain brackets blend in to your smile and are much less noticeable than metal brackets. Most of our patients over the age of 20 prefer these types of braces for their top teeth.

For minor changes, clear aligner systems such as Invisalign can fix a crooked smile without braces at all. The technology that goes into creating these products is amazing! The process begins with accurate molds of your teeth. From there computer simulations of your individual tooth movements are created and, following the orthodontist's approval, a series of clear aligners are fabricated. Each aligner tray is worn 2-3 weeks. The number of aligners depends on the amount of tooth movement required.

Not everyone is a candidate for this exciting new technology. Because the teeth must be fully erupted for the initial set of impressions, these systems cannot be used on kids and young teens. In addition, some cases are simply too complicated for these systems. Dr. Grider will inform you at your consultation appointment if clear aligners could work for you.