Starting Smiles Smart

At Delplanche Orthodontics, your kids’ smiles are important!

You may think of orthodontics as being for teens, and that makes sense. The teen years are known as the braces years for a reason. But it turns out that it’s best to bring your child in by age seven to start their smile off right!

Why Children Need Orthodontics

The American Association of Orthodontists and Dr. Delplanche recommend that kids see an orthodontist around the age of seven years old.

Once your child gets to be around that age, Dr. Delplanche can evaluate the direction of their tooth and jaw development and, in some cases, may recommend early treatment. This is also known as Phase I treatment.

What Is Phase I Treatment?

Phase I treatment, also known as early interceptive treatment, focuses on addressing specific dental issues before they escalate. By using partial braces or other orthodontic appliances, we can guide jaw development and create space for permanent teeth.

By intervening early, Dr. Delplanche ensures that your child’s smile develops in the healthiest way possible. This phase often involves a period of observation, allowing us to monitor growth and adjust treatment as needed, setting the stage for a smooth phase II treatment later on.

How Does It Help?

When recommended, early orthodontic treatment can make a world of difference for your child’s oral health and quality of life.

Issues like severe crowding, crossbites, and protruding teeth can cause discomfort and affect chewing and speaking. Addressing these problems early ensures your child can eat, speak, and maintain oral hygiene more easily.

Since your child’s tooth and jaw development is so flexible at around age seven, Phase I treatment can prevent the need for more costly and extensive treatments in the future. By tackling these issues early, we reduce the risk of more severe problems developing, ultimately saving you time and money.

Plus, an early, well-aligned smile boosts your child’s confidence, helping them feel great about their appearance from a young age.

Do Good + Grow

As a parent, you already know that regular dental visits are an important part of maintaining your child’s healthy smile. But did you know that orthodontics can also play a key role in their oral health?

In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists and Dr. Delplanche recommend all children have an orthodontic evaluation by age seven! Is your child ready for their first orthodontic visit? We’d love to meet them!

The DO GOOD + GROW Kids Club is a fun and engaging program to help your child learn about the importance of taking good care of their smile and doing good at the same time. This is designed to build your child’s character and confidence while they are in pre-orthodontic observation or active orthodontic treatment in Lake Osweego or Beaverton.

DO GOOD + GROW members have the opportunity to complete six different activities and challenges to earn prizes to display with their exclusive club card and lanyard. You can rest assured that they will enjoy visits to the orthodontist!

Enroll your child in DO GOOD + GROW! For each DO + GROW summary your child submits, they will earn their pins to proudly display! Ask us more about this program at your child's first free consultation.

Orthodontist Beaverton

FAQs on Children's Orthodontics

Our early orthodontics treatments at Delplanche Orthodontics can help reduce or eliminate problems later in life and treat those that have already emerged. The goal is to correct the smallest problems to prevent them from becoming big ones later on.

If you have any concerns or just want to see how your child is developing, give us a call. It’s a free meeting with no strings attached.

Book Free Consult

Treatment Options

Lake Oswego Invisalign

Invisalign First

Clear aligners made specifically for young and growing patients!

Lake Oswego Orthodontics

Limited Braces

Usually limited to the front teeth, with fun colors to choose at every appointment!

Retainers

Functional and Fixed Appliances

Correct certain bite problems and influence growth.

Lake Oswego Braces

Observation

Periodic visits to monitor growth and provide guidance.

Invisalign Expanders

When it comes to phase 1 treatment, sometimes Dr. Delplanche will recommend the use of a palatal expander. This is an important tool for children who need a little extra help with their developing jaw to ensure there’s enough space for all their teeth to grow in perfectly, and they just got an upgrade!

Invisalign palatal expanders are powerful, convenient, and less stressful for kids, since unlike traditional expanders, they don’t require a manual process where parents need to adjust the expanders with a key every day. Instead, just like with Invisalign aligners, the expander is a comfortable, removable appliance that does its job in the background!

If a palatal expander is right for your child, then you can have confidence in knowing they’re getting the latest and best treatment options right here at Delplanche Orthodontics.

ZOnrM8B4

Ready to Invest in Your Smile?

Schedule your free consultation with Dr. Delplanche today!

Book Free Consult