Orthodontics for All Ages

Dentists will typically begin talking with you about orthodontics for your child by or at age 7. At this time, most kids have lost a few, if not most, of their baby teeth, and spacing issues may start to become evident. This is the time when an initial orthodontic consult is important. Early orthodontic intervention can be the difference between short, simple orthodontic correction and a long, often more uncomfortable and expensive, plan of treatment. If misalignment issues are corrected early, your child can have more dental comfort into their teen and adult years.

Kids are very good candidates for traditional braces. Metal braces are the tried and true orthodontic treatment that yields excellent results. While the first couple of weeks can be a learning curve, taking care of braces is easy and our team at Columbia Orthodontics can show your child simple ways to keep them clean.

Kids also like traditional braces because they can choose from a variety of fun colors for their bands and wires, for older kids or young teens – we have invisible or clear braces to help them with their self-confidence while also straightening their smile.

While traditional braces work well for pretty much anyone looking to align their teeth properly, many mid-late teens and adults want to straighten their smile without the hit to their confidence – and we totally get it! For this reason, we recommend Invisalign®.

Invisalign is a series of clear aligners that are tailored to your teen’s unique needs. During the first appointment, our orthodontist can even show you how your teeth will move over time with the aligners, so you can see exactly how your smile will turn out – as long as you follow a few simple rules.

We don’t recommend Invisalign to young patients under the age of 14. Because the aligners can be removed, this treatment requires a level of maturity and discipline that young teens and kids don’t yet have. While you can remove the aligners to eat, it is important to replace the aligners right after. Invisalign should be worn for 22 hours daily.

Invisalign is a clear, comfortable way to straighten teeth with confidence. Your teen will love it!

Adults are in a special position in that they can choose from virtually any orthodontic option – as long as it fits their budget and comfort level.

No matter what option they choose, traditional braces or clear aligners, they can feel confident trusting Dr. Croft at Columbia Orthodontics.  Dr. Croft has custom approaches for adult orthodontic care that differ from treatments for children and teens. Many offices offer the option for adult braces or Invisalign, but Dr. Croft’s philosophy is to choose treatments that fit each unique person and patient based on their desires and dental needs.

In some cases, patients may do well with a combination treatment – which means some patients get upper aligners and lower braces at the same time. There may be a short period with braces and then a transition to aligners. We mix and match appropriate treatment to most optimally fix orthodontic problems while trying to help most adults avoid excess time in braces. This unique approach has been very well accepted and has led to adult treatment being a major focus in our practice.