Why Do Treatment Times Differ with Braces?

After parents decide that their child will require braces, they usually want to know how long the treatment takes. It’s not unreasonable to plan your child’s braces around significant life events, such as a high school graduation or an important birthday. Important moments and rites of passage are usually captured for all time in photographs. Few youngsters want a yearbook photo to include braces.

As a dentist Ponte Vedra families rely on, our experienced professionals understand the importance of balancing everyday life with healthy and beautiful teeth. We hope this information helps you set a date with our pediatric dentistry team for orthodontic treatment.

Why Do Some Braces Treatments Take Longer Than Others?

If you are like most parents, you have probably spoken with friends and family members about how long this orthodontic treatment takes. In all likelihood, there was advice attached to the timetable people in your orbit experienced. The fact that one cousin’s treatment was shorter than a friend’s has zero to do with the particular dentist used, and everything to do with a person’s unique circumstances.

The facts are that the “average” treatment typically runs 16-18 months. Some orthodontic treatments last two years or longer. And if someone tells you they can deliver a perfectly straight smile in under six months, such cases are extremely rare. So, be wary.

In reality, treatments are determined by the severity of a person’s dental alignment and other wide-reaching factors. There is no one-size-fits-all orthodontic process, and no one can predict the timeline without completing a pediatric dentist examination and consultation. There are crucial factors that impact how long you or your youngster wear braces.

What You Will Learn During A Ponte Vedra Family Dentistry Consultation

A visual examination will be performed during the braces evaluation, and a diagnostic record will be compiled. A treatment estimate may be gauged between the imaging and oral hygiene challenges based on the following and ongoing factors.

• Teeth Alignments: A range of issues factor into the severity of an individual’s teeth alignment. For instance, mild spacing corrections typically take less time than wider spacings. The opposite challenge may also prove true. Severely crowded teeth may take longer to space out than those that are less pressed together.
  
• Skeletal Issues: People that have overbites or underbites typically require lengthy treatment. The reason is usually that the process is more involved than simple teeth alignment. Jaw treatments are often part of the second phase of teeth realignments.
  
• Growth Spurts: Children and teenagers are prone to growth spurts that can change the trajectory of teeth. By that same token, spurts can reduce the treatment time when braces are in place and diligently monitored. Regular adjustments are critical during growth spurts.
  
• Patient Compliance: It’s essential to keep in mind the person wearing braces is an active participant in the process. Keeping pediatric dentistry appointments for adjustments and cleanings, among others, is a crucial factor in minimizing treatment times. Following through on the program your pediatric dentistry gives you will not only affect treatment time, it will also be a determining factor in the health of your teeth.
  
• Oral Hygiene: Braces change some of the techniques children and adults use to maintain clean and healthy teeth. Your Ponte Vedra dentist will discuss oral hygiene during the consultation and at subsequent office visits. Failing to thoroughly clean and floss your teeth as instructed could result in tarnished teeth, tooth decay, or gum disease.

As you can see, there are wide-reaching factors that go into estimating an orthodontic treatment and even more unknowns once the braces are in place. What’s important is not how long the treatment lasts. What’s important is getting the straight teeth and beautiful smile you or your child deserve. And it’s okay to plan braces, so your high schooler has completed the treatment before graduation.

Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry Provides Braces Treatments You Can Trust

At Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics in Ponte Vedra, Florida, our dental professionals work with parents and children who want the best possible treatment in the shortest possible time. We provide a thorough examination and consultation so our community members can make informed decisions. The best way to complete the orthodontic treatment is to contact our office to schedule your child’s appointment today. 904.373.5120