Dr. Black knows kids’ mouths.
Having orthodontics and dentistry under one roof makes it a breeze to monitor a child’s orthodontic health from a very young age. Early diagnosis and intervention of a child’s orthodontic issues means Dr. Black can focus more on guiding development rather than retroactively correcting problems. That means less invasive treatment (happy kids!) and more cost-efficient care (happy parents!).
Dr. Black can recognize crowded or improperly spaced teeth and malocclusions (bad bites) in children as young as 2–3. Often, early steps can be taken to reduce the need for major orthodontic treatment at a later age.
Stages of orthodontic care
Stage I – Early Treatment, encompassing ages 2–6. For children at this young age, we are concerned with underdeveloped dental arches, the premature loss of primary teeth, and harmful habits such as finger, thumb, or pacifier sucking.
Intervention started in this stage of development is very successful and often eliminates the need for future invasive orthodontic/orthopedic treatment.
Young children respond well to treatment because their jaws and mouths are still developing. By about age 13, the jaw bones have finished growing, which means changing their jaw and bite alignment is much more involved. We love to focus on intervention and prevention to make kids’ and parents’ lives much easier.
Stage II – Mixed Dentition, covering ages of 6–12 years. During this time, children’s permanent teeth begin to come in, starting with the eruption of the permanent incisor (front) teeth and 6-year molars.
Treatment at this age is focused on how your child’s upper and lower jaws come together and their bite alignment.
School-age kids are at an ideal time in their development to start treatment because their hard and soft tissues are usually very responsive to orthodontic intervention.
Stage III – Adolescent Dentition, age 13 and older. Our orthodontic goal for teenagers is to guide the development of the ultimate bite relationship and align the permanent teeth in their ideal final position.
Dr. Black is sensitive to teenagers’ unique experiences and concerns. Lots of teens balk at orthodontic treatment, especially when navigating challenges of middle and high school. We offer options for braces and clear aligners, but more importantly, Dr. Black helps teens understand their treatment, focus on the end goal, and feel confident in themselves no matter what’s in their mouth.
Our practice is completely kid-focused, but sometimes parents are inspired to straighten their own teeth when they see their kid’s smile changing.
If that describes you, chat with Dr. Black. She’ll talk with you about your options and what makes the most sense for you. Maybe you and your child will enjoy your orthodontic journey together!
Stage I – Early Treatment, encompassing ages 2–6. For children at this young age, we are concerned with underdeveloped dental arches, the premature loss of primary teeth, and harmful habits such as finger, thumb, or pacifier sucking.
Intervention started in this stage of development is very successful and often eliminates the need for future invasive orthodontic/orthopedic treatment.
Young children respond well to treatment because their jaws and mouths are still developing. By about age 13, the jaw bones have finished growing, which means changing their jaw and bite alignment is much more involved. We love to focus on intervention and prevention to make kids’ and parents’ lives much easier.
Stage II – Mixed Dentition, covering ages of 6–12 years. During this time, children’s permanent teeth begin to come in, starting with the eruption of the permanent incisor (front) teeth and 6-year molars.
Treatment at this age is focused on how your child’s upper and lower jaws come together and their bite alignment.
School-age kids are at an ideal time in their development to start treatment because their hard and soft tissues are usually very responsive to orthodontic intervention.
Stage III – Adolescent Dentition, age 13 and older. Our orthodontic goal for teenagers is to guide the development of the ultimate bite relationship and align the permanent teeth in their ideal final position.
Dr. Black is sensitive to teenagers’ unique experiences and concerns. Lots of teens balk at orthodontic treatment, especially when navigating challenges of middle and high school. We offer options for braces and clear aligners, but more importantly, Dr. Black helps teens understand their treatment, focus on the end goal, and feel confident in themselves no matter what’s in their mouth.
Our practice is completely kid-focused, but sometimes parents are inspired to straighten their own teeth when they see their kid’s smile changing.
If that describes you, chat with Dr. Black. She’ll talk with you about your options and what makes the most sense for you. Maybe you and your child will enjoy your orthodontic journey together!