Orthodontic Treatment at JOEL B. SHIELDS, DDS, PC
What is The Best Time For Orthodontic Treatment?
Developing malocclusions, or bad bites, can be recognized as early as 2-3 years of age. Often, early steps can be taken to reduce the need for major orthodontic treatment at a later age.
Stage I –
Early Treatment: This period of treatment encompasses ages 2 to 6 years. At this young age, 
we are concerned with underdeveloped dental arches, the premature loss of primary teeth, and harmful habits such as finger or thumb sucking. Treatment initiated in this stage of development is often very successful and many times, though not always, can eliminate the need for future orthodontic/orthopedic treatment.
Stage II –
Mixed Dentition: This period covers the ages of 6 to 12 years, with the eruption of the permanent incisor (front) teeth and 6 year molars. Treatment concerns deal with jaw malrelationships and dental realignment problems. This is an excellent stage to start treatment, when indicated, as your child’s hard and soft tissues are usually very responsive to orthodontic or orthopedic forces.
Stage III –
Adolescent Dentition: This stage deals with the permanent teeth and the development of the final bite relationship.
Protect Your Teeth, Mouth And Braces
We’ve found that almost 40 percent of all dental injuries are sports related? If you wear braces, contact sports don’t only put your teeth at risk, metal in an athlete’s mouth can introduce a host of new risks as well.
How JOEL B. SHIELDS, DDS, PC Helps: Customized Mouthguards Protect You And Your Investment
Most contact sports require athletes to wear mouthguards. Properly fitted mouthguards help protect both an athlete’s teeth and the other athletes on the field. But once we fit your braces, your mouthguard may not fit properly. An ill-fitting mouthguard is not only uncomfortable, it’s also less effective at protecting you from impact, injury and damage.
Braces are an investment worth protecting. Even if you don’t always wear a mouthguard while playing sports, you’ll want to reconsider while wearing braces. Stray balls and other athletes in contact with your orthodontic equipment can be a painful experience. Not only that, excessive contact can damage brackets and cause delays in orthodontic treatment.
Investing in a mouthguard can make all the difference for you and your family’s oral health. While participating in sports and other activities is fun, Dr. Shields recommends that you protect your beautiful smile while doing so! Let’s talk about your unique and individual oral safety needs.
Give us a call at 972-270-7535 or email us.