The classic age for braces, done in a way teenagers actually cooperate with. Metal, clear or aligners, plus straight answers about how long it will take, what they can eat, and how to keep hockey and band from getting in the way.
The early teens are when most orthodontic treatment happens, and for good reason. The permanent teeth are through, the jaws are still growing enough to help, and the bone responds quickly to tooth movement.
It is also the point where treatment succeeds or drags, and that comes down almost entirely to whether the patient is on board. So we talk to the teenager, not over them: what needs to change, how long it will take, what they can and cannot eat, and what happens if they skip the elastics.
Every appliance is on the table: metal braces with the colours they want, ceramic if they would rather it were subtle, or clear aligners if they want something nobody will notice. What matters is picking the one this particular teenager will actually stick with.
Growth is still available to help correct the bite, and teeth move readily at this age.
Colours, clear brackets or aligners. A teenager who chose their treatment is a teenager who follows it.
Mouthguard advice for hockey and contact sport, and appointments scheduled around exams and the school run.
We explain the consequences of not wearing the elastics honestly, and let them own the outcome.
Both the teenager and the parent hear the same explanation, and both get to ask questions.
Scans and radiographs, then a plan setting out each appliance that would work, with the trade-offs of each.
About an hour, plus time to go through cleaning, food and what to do if something comes loose.
Every six to ten weeks, scheduled around school where we can.
Braces off, photos taken, and retainers fitted the same day, with a frank conversation about wearing them.
Typically eighteen to twenty-four months, though it depends entirely on the case and on how consistently the elastics and appliances are worn.
Yes. We will fit or recommend an orthodontic mouthguard that works over braces, and we would rather you asked us than bought a boil-and-bite off the shelf.
Treatment stalls and gets longer. Nothing is damaged, but the finish line moves. We track it at every visit and tell both of you honestly where things stand.
For the right teenager, yes. Some aligner systems include indicators that fade with wear, so compliance is visible rather than reported. For a teenager who will not keep them in, fixed braces are the safer choice.
Every visit. New elastics go on at each adjustment, so they can change them as often as they like.
A series of clear, removable aligners that straighten your teeth without brackets or wires. We work with several aligner systems and choose the one that fits your case. You take them out to eat, brush and floss normally, and most people around you will never notice you are in treatment.
The most proven appliance in orthodontics, and far more comfortable than the braces you remember. High-grade stainless steel brackets and light archwires move teeth predictably, with coloured elastics if you want them.
Ceramic brackets in a translucent, tooth-toned material that blends into your smile instead of standing out against it. They work exactly like metal braces and are usually placed on the upper front teeth, where visibility matters most.
Bring your teenager in and let them ask their own questions. It makes the next two years much easier.
