Bayou Braces & Dentistry is a premier Louisiana orthodontic office offering orthodontic care for patients of all ages, including braces for kids. Our awesome team always strives to provide treatment in a caring, fun, and kid-friendly environment.

Our team has been proud to provide exceptional orthodontic treatment to children throughout Abbeville, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Iberia, and New Orleans for years. We strive to boost our young patients’ confidence, self-esteem, and oral health by diagnosing and addressing orthodontic and jaw problems in children as young as seven.

 

 

What You Should Expect When Your Child Begins Orthodontic Treatment

If your child needs braces or another orthodontic treatment to straighten teeth, close gaps, or fix crowding or misalignment, you can expect them to undergo a few stages of care.

First, one of our orthodontists will examine your child’s teeth and jaw. They may request digital imaging and x-rays to view your child’s entire mouth and clearly understand their needs.

Next, we will recommend the most suitable orthodontic treatments to help your child’s teeth shift into their correct positions. Treatment may include braces for kids or clear aligners.

At Bayou Braces & Dentistry, we understand that children are often nervous about orthodontic appointments. Our team has years of experience helping children relax by using kid-friendly language and making the environment comforting. Our goal is to help our youngest patients love coming into our office!

Early Intervention Techniques to Give Your Children the Best Smiles

You can help your child achieve a beautiful smile with healthy teeth and gums by encouraging them to practice good oral health habits, like brushing and flossing teeth, while they are young. Though baby teeth will eventually fall out to make room for their permanent teeth, you can ensure that their adult set erupts correctly by caring for their primary teeth.

At age seven, your child can begin visiting our office for orthodontic care. They can examine your child’s teeth and jaw to identify early signs of trouble while your child is young. Our team may recommend early intervention treatments like retention appliances or space maintainers to correct various orthodontic or jaw issues before they become severe.

Orthodontic Treatment with Comfort in Mind

Many people assume braces for kids involve bulky and uncomfortable metal brackets and wires. However, Bayou Braces & Dentistry believes that achieving a stunning smile doesn’t have to be painful or awkward. Our team will gladly explore the best orthodontic options for your child’s specific problems while keeping their comfort in mind.

Your Child’s Life with Braces

Wearing braces will not affect every aspect of your child’s life, but some adjustments are necessary. If your child has braces, they must have regular visits with us every four to six weeks. During these visits, they will tighten the archwires, put fresh elastics around the brackets, and assess their progress so that they can make changes if necessary.

Your child should continue brushing and flossing their teeth each day, but they must pay careful attention to the areas around the brackets. Food particles and bacteria can hide around braces, which increases the risk of further tooth problems.

Orthodontic Treatment Options for Kids

Your child’s orthodontic needs and smile goals will influence which treatment they receive.

Common types of braces include:

  • Metal Braces: Traditional braces use metal brackets, archwires, and elastic bands.
  • Ceramic Braces: These have the same components as traditional braces, but they use ceramic brackets for less visibility.
  • Gold Braces: As flashy as these sound, gold braces are just as effective as their traditional counterpart.

The Difference Between Braces for Kids and Braces for Teens

Our orthodontists at Bayou Braces & Dentistry provide braces for kids and teenagers. Early orthodontic care is more preventative than corrective.

Our orthodontists can address early signs of orthodontic and jaw-related problems with braces for Phase One orthodontic treatment. Phase One effectively prevents detrimental issues in permanent teeth and growing jaws, including shifting jaws, late loss of baby teeth, mouth breathing, and difficulty biting, chewing, or eating.

While braces for children are similar to teen braces, adolescents tend to receive comprehensive treatment to address issues with difficulty chewing or biting, teeth misalignment, gapped teeth and blocked permanent teeth that can’t grow in normally.