Orthodontic Treatment
for children & teens
The teenage years are often seen as the best time to straighten your smile. That’s because teens' jaws are still growing, and it’s the easiest time to correct complex orthodontic issues. But did you know it could be beneficial to visit a Specialist Orthodontist even sooner?
Early treatment could help you have time and money on your child’s treatment in their teenage years.
When should I bring my child to their first orthodontic consultation?
The Orthodontic Society of Ireland recommends visiting a Specialist Orthodontist around age seven. By this age, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, which allows Dr Geoghegan to diagnose and correct tooth and jaw problems before they worsen.
Dr Geoghegan might not recommend orthodontic treatment at this time, but we offer a pre-orthodontic guidance programme with visits twice a year. This allows us to monitor the growth of your child’s smile and intervene at the opportune time.
Does my child need orthodontic treatment?
Not all children or teens need orthodontic treatment, but for those who do, it’s extremely beneficial. Some signs your child could benefit from treatment include:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting food
- Mouth breathing
- Finger or thumb sucking
- Crowded, misplaced or blocked teeth
- Jaws that pop or make sounds
- Teeth that come together abnormally
- Teeth that don’t come together at all
- Jaws and teeth disproportionate to the rest of the face
- Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight
How can orthodontic treatment benefit my child?
Not only does orthodontic treatment give you a beautiful, straight smile - it can also lead to better health. Straight teeth are easier to keep clean, so children will be less likely to develop tooth decay or gum disease after orthodontic treatment.
In addition, treatment can help with chewing, digestion, speech issues, breathing issues and jaw joint pain.
Types of orthodontic treatment for children & teens
We offer a variety of treatments for children and teens at SOP, with both fixed and removable options available. At your child’s full orthodontic consults, Dr Geoghegan will be able to recommend the very best treatment for their smile, which could include:
- Traditional metal braces: Metal braces are the tried and true orthodontic treatment, and our braces at SOP are small, sleek and extremely efficient. Children and teens enjoy customising the colours of their elastics during treatment.
- Tooth-coloured ceramic braces: If your child wants a more discreet take on traditional treatment, we offer ceramic braces made from tooth-coloured material. This helps their treatment to blend in with their smile.
- Lingual braces: Also called ‘hidden braces,’ lingual braces are fixed to the back side of your smile so no one can see them during treatment. Some teens who are concerned about the aesthetics of their treatment may prefer lingual braces.
- Invisalign® treatment: We offer both Invisalign® for teens and Invisalign® First for children at our practice. Invisalign® clear aligners are clear, comfortable, removable and custom made exactly for your child’s smile goals.
- SOP aligners: Our practice offers our very own in-house aligners for both children & teens. 100% local, and specifically designed to guide the growth of your child’s smile, SOP aligners are a convenient clear choice for orthodontic treatment.
- Functional appliances: These removable appliances help to encourage the proper growth of a child’s jaws. At SOP, we offer the Twin Block appliance and Herbst® appliance to reduce overbites and help with lower jaw growth in young children.
- Customised solutions: If needed, we can use a combination of any of our treatments to achieve the best results for our child or teen patients.
Give your child’s smile the best start
If you think your child or teen could benefit from orthodontic treatment, please book a consultation with our team today. We look forward to working with you to protect the health of your child’s smile.
