Our team Bayou Braces & Dentistry specializes in braces for teens. Our skilled and friendly orthodontists have years of experience transforming young smiles throughout Abbeville, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Iberia, and New Orleans, LA.

We strive to create a fun, relaxed atmosphere at our practice where patients of all ages can receive world-class dental and orthodontic care. Our team is laidback yet professional, and our orthodontists take pride in providing the best corrective treatment to address our teen patients’ orthodontic and jaw problems.

What Should Parents Expect When Their Teen Starts Orthodontic Treatment?

When it’s time for your child to get braces for teens, you can expect a quick but thorough visit with one of our orthodontists. Our team will perform a complete orthodontic exam that may include digital imaging of the mouth and jaw. Depending on your child’s orthodontic condition, our team will consult with you and your child about the best corrective treatments for your teen’s needs.

After your teen gets their braces, they may experience mild discomfort at first, but it will not last. Your child will visit their orthodontist every four to six weeks. These periodic appointments are necessary to monitor your teenager’s treatment progress. The visits are also required so that we can tighten the braces’ archwire to ensure that the teeth continue shifting gradually.

How Long Will Your Teenager Wear Braces?

Your orthodontist will determine how long your child should wear braces for teens to ensure that their problem is permanently fixed. On average, teenagers wear orthodontic appliances for one to two years, but there is no definitive treatment time for everyone who needs braces. During your teen’s consultation, our team will explain their expected timeline based on your teen’s orthodontic needs.

Bayou Braces & Dentistry designs all treatment plans to speak to each teen patient’s specific needs. Teens with extensive orthodontic and jaw-related problems may need to wear braces for a longer time than someone with more minor alignment issues.

Braces work by gently moving teeth into better positions to enhance your teen’s smile, bite, chewing abilities, and teeth alignment. Your child will receive a custom-made retainer to keep your newly-shifted teeth in their correct positions. Otherwise, their teeth could move back to their original spots.

How Your Teen Should Protect Their Braces

Engaging in proper oral hygiene practices is the best way for your teen to protect their braces. Daily brushing and flossing are a must, and they should take special care to clean around the brackets and wires to remove any buildup.

Your child should avoid sticky, hard, or chewy foods that could damage their braces and cause discomfort. Additionally, while playing sports, your teenager should wear a mouthguard to prevent potential damage to their braces and teeth in the event of an injury.

Treatment Options

At Bayou Braces & Dentistry, we offer several types of braces for teens, including the following:

  • Metal Braces: The most traditional orthodontic appliance uses metal brackets, archwire, and elastics to shift teeth gently.
  • Ceramic Braces: These braces work the same as traditional metal braces. However, they consist of ceramic brackets that blend with the color of your natural teeth.
  • Gold Braces: As fun and flashy as these sound, gold braces are just as effective as their traditional counterpart and are a very popular option.

What’s the Difference in Braces for Teens Compared to Kids?

Teenagers make excellent candidates for braces for straighter teeth and a bright, healthy smile. Adolescents have most, if not all, of their permanent teeth. Still, their jawbones remain pliable, making it easier for treatment to shift teeth into proper alignment and correct any issues.

Unlike braces for teens, which usually correct crooked, misaligned, or gapped teeth, young kids often get braces to prevent serious orthodontic or jaw issues while problems are in their earliest stages. Children can receive orthodontic care from Bayou Braces & Dentistry as early as age seven while still having their baby teeth.

A young kid’s teeth and jaw development are more easily influenced, so they may be more receptive to a comprehensive orthodontic treatment plan. Your orthodontist may determine your child could benefit from braces or another treatment early on to prevent a minor problem from progressing into a severe issue by the time they become a teenager.