Preventative Braces in Atlanta, GA

Planning now for the future can give your child a leg up when it comes to his or her dental health. If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to have your child evaluated for preventative braces or orthodontic treatment, board-certified orthodontists Dr. Ruchir Patel and Dr. Kal Thakkar are here to help. Visit one of their three convenient offices located in Alpharetta, Roswell and Kennesaw to see if early intervention is right for your child.

What Are Preventative Braces?

Preventative braces are used on children aged seven to nine to help avoid more serious and expensive issues in the future. Preventative braces help correct early onset of overbite, crowded teeth, jaw abnormalities or other conditions.

Why Are Preventative Braces Needed?

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, children should visit an orthodontist for the first time at the age of seven. Although seven seems young, most children already have some permanent teeth by this time and most problems can already be identified. Problems discovered and treated early can sometimes prevent a bigger issue down the road or reduce the impact of what is to come.

Does My Child Need Preventative Braces?

It is not easy to determine whether your child needs preventative orthodontic treatment. The best way to know for sure is by getting an evaluation. Early assessment can help in the future by:

• Identifying developing bite and jaw alignment problems
• Tracking development and planning treatment according to your child’s growth
• Guiding your child’s permanent teeth so they grow in straight
• Creating space for crowded teeth
• Controlling the width of the palate
• Preventing extractions on permanent teeth

What Are Space Maintainers?

A space maintainer is a metal or plastic device designed to keep a child’s teeth in position if a baby tooth is lost too early due to events such as a cavity or trauma. Baby teeth act as a guide for permanent teeth. If a baby tooth is removed before a permanent tooth is ready to come in, the adult tooth can drift and end up in the wrong place. Neighboring teeth could also shift into the open space. The space maintainer holds the space open where the baby tooth is missing so the permanent tooth goes where it is supposed to go. Depending upon your child’s needs, you may get a fixed or a removable space maintainer.

Space maintainers are often used on children who are missing teeth due to:

• Falls or accidents
• Cavities
• Disease or other medical condition
• Failure to develop

What Are Tongue Cribs?

Breaking children’s habits can be very difficult. When it comes to oral habits, Dr. Patel and Dr. Thakkar may be able to help by making a tongue crib for your child. A tongue crib is a metal device that is placed in your child’s mouth to prevent thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and other activities that could negatively affect the alignment of their front teeth.

If your child gets a tongue crib, the device will be attached to his or her two back molars and will be placed on the top teeth. The part of the tongue crib that is closest to the two front teeth looks like a small ladder and prevents the tongue from pushing the top and bottom of the teeth out. Your child cannot remove the tongue crib. It can only be inserted and removed by your orthodontist.

How Much Do Preventative Braces Cost in Atlanta, GA?

The cost of preventative braces varies based on the devices used, the length of your child’s treatment and other factors.

Dental insurance sometimes covers a portion or the full cost of preventative orthodontics, so it is important to check your policy’s coverage. If you have Flexible Spending Account dollars available through your employer, your pre-tax dollars can be applied to the cost of preventative braces.

To give all patients access to quality orthodontic treatment, iClear Orthodontics offers many payment plans to help make preventative braces more affordable. iClear Orthodontics offers interest-free in-house financing which divides the total cost of treatment into reasonable monthly payments for the duration of your treatment.

Options also exist to extend payments beyond your treatment period. In addition to traditional credit cards, iClear Orthodontics accepts CareCredit® cards that extend financing up to 60 months with a reduced APR and fixed monthly payments. With OrthoFi, you are able to select the down payment and ongoing monthly payment amounts.

If you are wondering whether your child will need braces, it makes sense to have an evaluation sooner than later. Preventative braces make future treatment easier and less expensive. If you live in the Greater Atlanta area and would like to schedule an appointment for your child, contact Dr. Ruchir Patel and Dr. Kal Thakkar at one of iClear Orthodontics’ convenient offices located in Alpharetta, Roswell, and Kennesaw, Monday through Saturday.