Healthy mouths start young! For kids ages 6 through 11, it’s important to ensure their teeth and mouth are developing correctly. Whether you have questions about the future or you’re already aware of changes to be made, you can count on our expertise and experience to support your child’s dental health. Schedule a consultation today to find out more about your kid’s teeth, and the process we use to ensure proper long-term development.
The journey begins by meeting with a treatment coordinator for a thorough consultation. During this visit, they will take X-rays and photos of your kid’s smile to assess its current condition. Dr. Nichols will use this information to calculate their Nichols Smile Score, a detailed evaluation of your child’s smile, suggesting areas for improvement.
Next, Dr. Nichols will create a tailored treatment plan for your child, based on the suggestions of their Nichols Smile Score. This plan focuses on improving alignment, spacing, and overall dental health to help bring out their perfect smile and pave the way for corrective dental growth.
For kids, we begin Phase 1 treatment with gentle steps guided by their Nichols Smile Score. This encourages healthy future growth and prepares children for further treatment in their teen years when teeth are ready for additional evaluation. Explore some of the appliances that may be used in the early ages of your child’s journey with us.
Initial treatments focus on improving your child’s airway, facial profile, and smile width. Options may include palate expanders to help widen the upper jaw as well as face masks worn at night to assist in advancing the upper jaw.
Next, we concentrate on aligning your child’s teeth and making space for proper contact. Braces or Spark aligners are used to create a well-aligned smile and tackle spacing.
Final adjustments for kids focus on aligning midlines. Damon Braces or Spark Aligners continue to be used, and if necessary, a Frenectomy or Tongue Tie Release may be performed to address functional issues and support overall treatment goals.
Even if your kid may not require much initial treatment, we want to observe them regularly until time is right to finish off their perfected Nichols Smile! By making sure their smile is on the path to correct growth, we can celebrate your child’s future smile and encourage them all along the way!
Many of the Nichols Smile Score treatment options can’t be completed until your child is a teenager, typically between the ages of 11 and 18. At that time, we would love to see them back to continue their dental health journey!
Think your child is ready for Phase 1 of orthodontic treatment? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Nichols today to find out!
