Give Your Kids Something to Smile About!
Most kids don’t understand how important it is to start caring for their teeth from a young age. At West LA Orthodontics, we understand that your child’s smile is an investment that lasts for life. We want to ensure your children love their dentist for years to come!
Why Might My Child Need Kids’ Orthodontics?
We offer a full range of kids’ orthodontic treatments that can straighten crooked teeth or fix your child’s misaligned bite. At West LA Orthodontics, we see our younger patients for various issues, including crowded or overlapping teeth, or problems with jaw growth and tooth development. These types of problems with the teeth and jaw may be caused by tooth decay, losing baby teeth too soon, accidents, or habits like thumb-sucking.
Other kids' orthodontic issues include:
Crowded teeth
Protruding teeth
Gapped teeth
Misaligned teeth
Teeth malocclusion
At West LA Orthodontics typically we use braces to help treat kids with orthodontic issues. However, there are a number of different therapies we can offer:
Specialized retainers
Headgear
Space maintainers
Functional and Expansion Appliances
Dr. J is a board-certified orthodontist and can see patients as soon as their first set of teeth come in. He believes the earlier the start the better when it comes to achieving healthy teeth!
What Are the Stages of Wearing Braces?
There are five stages involved in wearing braces:
Consultation
When you bring your child in for their consultation, Dr. J will take detailed scans and X-Rays of their teeth to determine the best possible course of treatment. Dr. J spends as much time as necessary to assess your child’s teeth and walk you through the proposed treatment plan.
Applying Braces
Ceramic braces are made of clear, tooth-colored materials and are less noticeable than metal braces. Most patients who want to straighten their teeth in a discreet and affordable manner but are not interested in Invisalign (clear aligners) or lingual braces choose ceramic braces. We tend to get the greatest interest in ceramic braces from teenagers and adults, usually those with an eye for aesthetics.
Regular Adjustments
Dr. J will ask your child to return to West LA Orthodontics every four to seven weeks to adjust their braces. The adjustments help to slowly move your child's teeth toward the correct position. Dr. J places a strong emphasis on hands-on care and makes sure you and your child are comfortable with every stage of the teeth straightening process.
Debanding
Debanding is often the most exciting day of wearing braces for your child - they get them taken off! The orthodontic wires and brackets are removed from their teeth. The appointment usually lasts about an hour. Special pliers are used to remove the brackets and wires, and your child's teeth are polished afterward to remove any cement adhesive.
Retainer Stage
That brand-new smile has to stay in place! Dr. J makes custom retainers so your child can keep their newly positioned teeth in check. Typically your child will wear their retainers for up to a year and a long-term type of retainer indefinitely.
Adult Braces
It is possible to achieve exceptional treatment results with adult braces, which are now more comfortable than ever. As an orthodontic solution provider, Dr. J offers various options to suit your lifestyle.
Do You Wear a Retainer after Phase 1 Braces?
Once your child has completed Phase 1 orthodontic treatment, retainers help keep the teeth in place. Dr. J recommends retainers that he designs in-house. The retainers are custom-made, so they are a comfortable fit. Your child will wear retainers after Phase 1 treatment for one year. Dr. J will monitor the incoming adult teeth and provide a retainer plan to follow after the first year post treatment.
What Happens at Your Child’s First Orthodontic Appointment?
At West LA Orthodontics, we love to give your kids a great orthodontic experience. Dr. J is passionate about serving his patients to the best of his ability. When your child comes in for their consultation, Dr. J will check to see if they have any issues with the following:
When your child comes in for their consultation, Dr. J will check to see if they have any issues with the following:
Too many teeth/overcrowding
Jaw misalignment
Overbite
Underbite
Teeth with too many spaces in between
Dr. J will also ask questions designed to discover if your child has any discomfort. He will also talk with both of you about what your ultimate smile goals are.
Every patient has X-rays, photos and evaluation carried out by our expert team members. The photos typically show your child's teeth and bite from several angles. Two examples of angles are the profile and frontal smile. At West LA Orthodontics, we put your child's safety first. We use digital X-rays that give out 90% less exposure to radiation while providing flawless images.
Once Dr. J has had a chance to look at the images, he will accurately assess a treatment plan for your child. He will spend as much time as needed with you, explaining the process. He understands that your child's mouth is unique, which means each set of braces needs to be completely unique. Dr. J makes sure your child has the perfect fit and the perfect set of braces to suit their needs.
Invisalign®
Over 14 Million people have used Invisalign® to straighten their teeth. The system gently moves your teeth into the correct position using a series of clear plastic trays throughout the duration of your treatment plan.
Smile Rx Custom Aligners
Dr. J also offers a proprietary, in-house system of clear aligner treatment which he uses to provide short-term aligner orthodontic treatment with incredible efficiency. The Smile Rx orthodontic aligner system is ideal if you have less complex orthodontic needs and you are on a budget.
Veneers
While braces and aligners are used to straighten your teeth, veneers can change your teeth's shape, size, and color. A veneer is a thin, customized shell of tooth-like material, typically porcelain, which covers the front surface of your teeth to improve their aesthetics. In some instances, Dr. J may combine straightening treatments and veneers to completely change your smile.
LightForce
Using revolutionary 3D printing technology, LightForce brackets are made to precisely suit the unique surface of your tooth, unlike conventional brackets that are mass-produced to fit everyone.
Personalized Approach & Custom Solutions
When you come for your consultation at West LA Orthodontics, Dr. J and his expert team will thoroughly assess your needs.
Dr. J considers whether you need traditional braces, LightForce Orthodontics, clear aligners, or porcelain veneers. He weighs the pros and cons of each option, plus the health of your teeth before recommending a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Dr. J refers out veneer cases to one of his trusted colleagues and works hand in hand with them to make sure you get the smile and look you want.
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West LA Orthodontics
Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm
© 2023 Jonathan Shouhed, DDS
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