Parents are busy enough these days to have extra dental appointments added to their plate. That’s why North Oaks Dental tries to make families’ lives easier by providing all the care your loved ones need in one convenient place. You and your family can get dental cleanings and orthodontics right here in our Royal Oak, MI office, so you don’t have to travel around from dentist to dentist. We also like to recommend for parents to start their child’s orthodontics during summer. This way, you don’t have to pull them out of school and they don’t have to make up work while they’re getting used to their new braces.

No matter your child’s age, we have orthodontics solutions for all of them. Our digital X-rays and other technology can make their treatment as efficient as possible, too. To schedule a consultation, call 248-712-1522 to talk to one of our two board-certified orthodontists. First, read below to find out more about our options for your kids.

Start Early For Healthy Development

Here at North Oaks Dental, we’re all about healthy smiles and healthy lives. Not many people realize that orthodontics can play a big role in keeping your child healthy overall. In fact, that’s why we recommend that parents bring their children for an initial orthodontic exam at age 7.
For young children who are developing narrow jaws or improper facial bone structure, the result can be more than aesthetic. Yes, it leads to a jaw that grows downward and a receding chin. But it can also create a narrow airway. This can cause your child to have breathing problems, particularly in their sleep. It can even contribute to sleep apnea in children or later in life, and it can contribute to allergies. With the right appliance at the right age, however, we can help them to minimize such troubles.

Start Orthodontics On Time For A Healthy, Attractive Smile

Almost all kids with bite problems can benefit from braces. Braces have the ability to move teeth in just about any way, and they can also help with guiding jaw development. Braces can take care of simple to very complicated bite problems, like:

  • Overbites (buck teeth), where the top teeth come over the bottom teeth
  • Underbites (bulldog teeth), where the bottom teeth come over the top teeth
  • Crossbites, where the top back teeth come over the bottom back teeth, or where the upper front teeth come behind the lower front teeth
  • Open bite, which leaves spaces between upper and lower teeth when biting down
  • Crooked and crowded teeth
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Uneven spacing between teeth

Our team can keep an eye on your child’s jaw and bite development (the way upper and lower teeth come together) at every six-month exam. If your child needs braces, we’ll recommend just the right time to start. Usually, we recommend children get braces when all their permanent teeth have come in. This way, they won’t have to repeat treatment later if adult teeth don’t come in properly.

Starting braces at the right time is important because it can prevent oral health problems like:

  • TMJ pain, or pain in the jaw joints, which can be caused by a misaligned bite
  • Cavities, which can form more easily between crowded teeth
  • Breathing problems caused by a narrow jaw

It can also increase your child’s self-esteem and appearance in their smile.

The brackets and wires can take a little time to get used to, so that’s a great reason to consider starting your child’s orthodontics treatment in the summer. They can adjust to the tools and techniques used for cleaning. And they can more easily drop by the office if a wire breaks (which happens more often in the beginning, particularly if they’ve eaten hard or sticky foods that are discouraged).

Start Invisalign For Discreet Treatment

Teens who didn’t get a chance to have braces when they were younger will appreciate this option. So will teens whose teeth have moved out of alignment since they had braces. Both options are much less noticeable without metal, so your teen can feel proud of their smile while it improves over a shorter period of time than braces.

Invisalign is a great option for responsible teens who want the least noticeable orthodontics option possible. In fact, many of their peers may never guess they’re wearing anything because the aligners are clear and fit snugly against their teeth.

We say “responsible” because the aligners are removed for eating. This is great for teens who don’t want to deal with food getting stuck in braces. They can slip them off and slip them back on after eating. It’s not so great for teens who tend to lose things, which can happen with aligners, or for teens who won’t wear them the recommended 22 hours. Not wearing them according to directions will slow progress and potentially cost more.

If your child is diligent about their treatment, though, their aligners can take care of many of the same mild to moderate problems that regular braces can, often in less time, too.

Start Simplifying Orthodontics At North Oaks Dental

Make your child’s orthodontics as simple as possible. North Oaks Dental of Royal Oak, MI can help with comprehensive solutions, multiple payment options, and easy progress checkups at their regular cleaning appointments, if needed.

Braces or Invisalign® available as low as $218 per month. Financing is available through CareCredit. Call now to start the approval process. Approval response is provided quickly, and the offer is subject to credit approval.

To get started soon, call us at 248-712-1522 or fill out our online form. We’re looking forward to helping your child get a healthy, confident smile!