Many parents of teenagers have googled “braces Calgary” in the hunt for a great orthodontist or more information about straight teeth for their child.
Orthodontic treatment is common among Calgary’s youth. Approximately 80% of children and teens would benefit from orthodontic care to improve their smile and/or bite.
If your child has crooked teeth, misaligned teeth, an uncomfortable bite, too much overbite, or doesn’t like their smile for any other reason, an orthodontist is a great person to talk to.
New patient exams are free at Impact Orthodontics for anyone under 20. You can book online, call or text 403-256-7797 or email us at [email protected] to schedule your child today.
Orthodontic Journey
Finding out about orthodontic treatment options is easy in a large city like Calgary. The Canadian Association of Orthodontists recommends all children see an orthodontist by the age of 7.
Whether at 7 or any other age, a visit to an orthodontist (dental specialist) should provide you with a thorough education about smiles and bites and what your child needs.
An orthodontic assessment will include pictures of the teeth and face, as well as x-rays of the head that show the development of the jaw bones.
Your Calgary orthodontist will then discuss if treatment is recommended or not (treatment plan), which types of appliances can be used for this treatment, and how much treatment will cost.
They will also talk about how braces work, what getting braces is like, and how long it will take to build that healthy smile.
After you have this information you can stop worrying. Most patients will have an optimal window for treatment and you will know what that is.
Early Treatment
When there are still many baby teeth in the mouth and treatment is recommended, it is often called early or interceptive or Phase 1 treatment. This simply means that something is going to be done before all of the adult teeth are in the mouth.
This type of treatment is offered when the orthodontist thinks that doing something at this time will result in a better end result than waiting for all of the adult teeth to erupt.
Most often, the orthodontic problems are severe and involve problems with the teeth and the bones. Not all orthodontic problems require early treatment. Often it makes more sense to wait until all adult teeth are present and simply do 1 step of full treatment.
If your child is 6-10 years old, your orthodontist will tell you at your initial consultation whether their oral health can be improved at this early age by braces or aligner treatment.
Braces in Calgary
Braces treatment is used for children as young as 7 and adults as mature as 80. It is one of many treatment options provided when you see a Calgary orthodontist.
Many types of braces exist. There are traditional metal braces, lingual braces, ceramic braces, clear braces, clear aligners, and 100% custom 3D printed braces (LightForce).
Family braces selection will be up to the family member and the orthodontist. Most orthodontists will have several options when it comes to moving adult and baby teeth.
Properly aligned teeth will be the result regardless of the appliance type chosen as long as instructions are followed.
Do Braces Hurt?
Traditional braces align teeth with gentle, constant pressure that comes from a metal wire attached to the braces.
This causes some discomfort in the teeth as they move into a new position – as they become straight teeth.
Anything that you would use for a headache works well for tooth discomfort. Tylenol and Advil can help, but we ask our patients to eat soft foods and cold foods for a few days and they often do not require pain medicines.
The first 2 weeks with metal braces is the worst because it is all brand new. For most children, day-to-day life continues uninterrupted after the initial adjustment period.
Does Invisalign Treatment Hurt Less?
Straightening teeth with anything will cause some discomfort initially. There is no pain-free solution, yet.
Many people who have had braces and Invisalign say that Invisalign hurts less. This is because the aligners are changed weekly and each one puts very small forces on the teeth. Think of it like new small forces being applied regularly.
Braces, on the other hand, only get new forces when you come and see your orthodontist in Calgary and they change the wire. This means a bigger force is applied to the teeth – but less often.
Are Braces Affordable?
Calgary braces are affordable! All orthodontic offices offer payment plans and most will help you with your dental insurance.
When looking for orthodontic treatment for your children, be sure to ask the following questions:
- Do you require patients to pay a large down payment?
- Are your monthly payments interest-free?
- Do you directly bill the insurance company?
- Will there be an additional charge for anything that you do?
- What happens if there is a less-than-ideal result?
- Is it a dentist or an orthodontist that is doing the orthodontic treatment?
- Do you have a guarantee? (this will reduce stress)
- Is the cost of braces the same as clear aligners or other appliances?
At Impact Orthodontics, Dr. Jen and Dr. Dena provide orthodontic treatment for the entire family braces needs. At your child’s free consultation, you will receive transparent information about how affordable braces in Calgary can be.
We do not require a large down payment, our monthly payments are interest-free, we will direct bill your insurance company, there are no additional costs during treatment (our fees are all-inclusive), we offer a guarantee and a lifetime smiles program, and braces cost the same as Invisalign treatment.
Canadian Dental Association
The Canadian Dental Association recommends children see the dentist regularly for their oral health and overall health.
If your dentist does recommend braces (or you notice something about your child’s teeth or bite that is off) you should see an orthodontist near you.
We recommend trusting a specialist to create that brand new smile. Certain orthodontic problems can be managed by dentists but everything beyond the most simple should be done by an orthodontist in Calgary.
Orthodontics has amazing benefits for your smile and bite, and just like all medical/dental procedures has risks. These risks are best managed by a specialist as your dentists do not have the same amount of experience or training.
Did you know that all orthodontic specialists are dentists but only 3% of dentists are orthodontic specialists?
Is A Beautiful Smile Part Of Overall Health?
Yes!
We are often asked if moving teeth into the most desired position is purely aesthetic. It is not. Teeth being straight and in a good bite always has functional and aesthetic benefits.
As an example, your upper and lower teeth biting onto each other correctly is only possible when they are well aligned (with metal brackets or Invisalign). This means a good bite is only possible when the teeth are straight teeth.
At your child’s free consultation, their treatment plan will consist of elements that are meant to improve the smile and elements that are meant to improve the function of the teeth.
Teeth that last a lifetime are key to overall health. Orthodontics is often preventative and meant to keep teeth healthy, strong, whole and pain-free for life.
If you’ve ever been curious about orthodontics for your children or yourself, talk to Dr. Jen or Dr. Dena today! They would love to discuss your smile and explain how orthodontics can benefit you and your entire family.
They are the spot for braces Calgary! Come on in and find out what all the hype is about.
