My Child Needs Braces: What Is the Best Option?

Very few people are fortunate enough to have perfect dental alignment. Most of us need help to achieve an optimal bite and smile. That’s where orthodontics comes in, and residents of the Midtown East community in New York City, New York, can rely on Brianna Davydov, DDS, Yev Davydov, DDS, Gregory Shank, DDS, and the rest of their team at Chroma Dental for outstanding orthodontic services.

Parents considering options for a child’s orthodontic care have many choices, each with pros and cons. Finding the right fit can be challenging, and Chroma Dental is happy to provide guidance. 

Metal braces are an updated classic

Generations of children and teens have gone through orthodontic treatment with metal braces. This option uses small metal brackets affixed to the front of the teeth and are held together with a treatment wire. 

Today’s metal braces are smaller and more comfortable than in past decades, offering a strong base that creates the necessary force to shift teeth into optimal alignment. Metal braces remain the gold standard in addressing specific complex orthodontic needs. 

Your dental specialist gathers digital imaging and examines your child’s bite to determine the best approach during your consultation. If metal braces are the best way, your child will join a long tradition of a gleaming metal smile. 

Clear and ceramic braces offer subtle smile enhancement

Clear or ceramic braces might be a great solution for kids who want a less noticeable type of braces. The brackets using these systems attach to the front of your child’s teeth and are the same color as natural teeth. 

The upper and lower treatment wire is metal, but the overall look is more subtle than metal brackets and wires. Some teens also find it easier to keep clear or ceramic braces clean since you can see food particles stuck along the edges of the brackets. 

Clear and ceramic braces can treat many of the same alignment issues as metal braces. But they aren’t quite as strong as metal brackets, so your child’s overall treatment time could be longer with this option. 

Invisalign®: the least visible orthodontic solution

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment system that doesn’t rely on brackets and wires. Clear plastic aligner trays snap over the surface of the upper and lower arch of teeth, creating the gentle pressure needed to improve alignment. 

Your child switches to a new set of aligners every few weeks to keep their treatment progressing. Invisalign aligners are worn around the clock and removed only while eating or performing dental hygiene tasks. 

Invisalign can address numerous alignment needs, including an overbite, underbite, crossbite, or open bite. But, some dental issues are not a good fit for Invisalign. 

Parents should note that one of the advantages of Invisalign is simplified dental hygiene. There’s no need to brush and floss around brackets and wires; your child can continue their dental hygiene routines. 

On the other hand, the major drawback of Invisalign is the need to maintain treatment compliance. The aligners can only work while in place, so it’s essential to consider how likely your child is to wear their aligners as prescribed, even when there’s minor tooth soreness from changing to a new set of trays. 

Still weighing the options? We are here to help

Choosing the right orthodontic treatment system is a big decision. After all, your child will likely spend one-to-two years or longer in braces or aligners. If you still aren’t sure which approach is best, the team at Chroma Dental is ready to help. 

The first step is an initial orthodontic consultation. During this visit, you learn which options fit your child’s treatment plan. From there, you and your child can ask questions and get more details about all available paths. Booking a visit only takes a few moments using the online booking tool or calling the Chroma Dental office.