Have you ever noticed that adolescents are the ones who most often undergo orthodontic treatment? Indeed, it is not uncommon to see a teenager with braces or other orthodontic appliances. Find out in what follows why adolescence is a good time for treatment, as well as what orthodontic problems can be treated.

Adolescence: a good time for orthodontics

In orthodontics, the majority of patients are between 11 and 18 years old. This age range represents a good time to take care of dental occlusion problems (relationship between the upper jaw and the lower jaw) and teeth alignment. There are two main reasons for this:

In adolescence, all permanent teeth erupted within the dentition. It is then easy to see the problems that affect the alignment of the teeth or the relationship between the two jaws.

At the start of adolescence, the jaws still have good growth potential, that is, the latter is not over. So, even if problems are then visible since the teeth are well developed, they are not necessarily permanent. It is generally easier to perform tooth and jaw movements with braces while growth is in progress.

Thus, we advise parents to consult with their teenager around the age of 11-12 years, if the latter has not already consulted in orthodontics during childhood .

Problems treated in adolescents

The consultation in orthodontics in adolescence makes it possible to detect several problems and to direct the young patient to the appropriate treatment. Among these problems, we find in particular:

Poor alignment of teeth (crooked or overlapping teeth) which is often related to a lack of space in the jaw;

Too pronounced spaces between the teeth;

Malocclusion problems, that is to say an unbalanced relationship between the two jaws (upper jaw too far forward in relation to the lower one, and vice versa);
Dental malposition, when certain teeth erupt in the wrong place on the dental arch.

Untreated orthodontic problems can lead to complications. These include an increased risk of developing cavities or gum problems, premature tooth wear, chewing or speech problems, etc.

Dr. David Côté has been practicing general dentistry for over 20 years! During his practice, he has followed many training courses in order to always offer more to his patients and to follow the evolution of dentistry. He has also developed his interest in orthodontics and followed several training courses to develop his skills in this field. Thus, for more than 15 years, he has offered a full orthodontic service in Gatineau. He is therefore able to provide orthodontic care to patients of all ages, which includes the initial consultation, diagnosis, treatment plan and the treatment itself using modern orthodontic appliances.