Braces for teens are the most common orthodontic treatment there is. Most of it happens between the ages of eleven and fifteen, once the permanent teeth are in and while the jaw is still growing enough to help. The Orthodontic Gallery in Riverview treats teenagers with metal braces, clear ceramic braces, LightForce custom brackets, and clear aligners. Dr. Wakas Abdulrazzaq, a board-certified orthodontist, plans every case. Consultations are free.
Treating a teenager is a different job from treating an adult, and not because the teeth are different. The biology is on your side at this age, which shortens treatment. The compliance is not always on your side, which is the part parents and orthodontists both have to plan around honestly.
Why the Teenage Years Work Well
Growth is the reason. A teenager who still has growth left can have jaw relationships corrected using that growth, with elastics and functional appliances doing work that in an adult would need surgery. That window does not stay open, and it closes earlier in girls than in boys.
Bone remodels faster at this age too, so the same movement generally takes less time than it would at forty. And the permanent teeth are all in place, which means comprehensive treatment can address the whole bite rather than working around gaps.
The Options for Teenagers
- Metal braces. Still the most common choice and still the most capable. They work regardless of whether your teenager remembers anything, which is the argument that decides many families. Colored elastic ties change at every visit and are, genuinely, the part most kids look forward to.
- Clear ceramic braces. Tooth-colored brackets for teens who care how they look in photographs. Same mechanics, same results, slightly more fragile. See braces.
- LightForce custom brackets. Ceramic brackets designed individually for each tooth, which typically means fewer appointments. Worth considering if getting out of school for adjustments is difficult. See LightForce.
- Clear aligners. Genuinely excellent for the right teenager. Removable for photos, sports, and instruments, and easier to keep clean. They only work at 20 to 22 hours of wear a day, and current systems include indicators that fade with use so nobody has to rely on a self-report. See clear aligners, and Invisalign for the system most families ask about by name.
Being Honest About Compliance
Here is the conversation we would rather have at the consultation than a year into treatment.
Aligners are not a reward for good behavior and they are not a punishment to avoid. They are a tool that works if worn and does nothing if not. A teenager who is organized, motivated, and actually wants straight teeth will do beautifully with them. A teenager who loses retainers, forgets mouthguards, and is doing this because a parent decided will do better in fixed braces, and there is no shame in that assessment.
We will ask your teenager directly, not just you. Their answer usually tells us what we need to know.
Sports, Instruments, and Daily Life
Riverview teenagers play a lot of sport, and Providence West and the school programs keep our patients busy. Braces and contact sport are entirely compatible with a properly fitted mouthguard, and we make custom ones. See mouthguards.
Wind and brass instruments take a couple of weeks of adjustment with fixed braces, and players adapt. Aligners can be removed to play. Tell us at the consultation if your teenager plays seriously, because it genuinely affects the recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adolescent Orthodontic Treatment
Is 13 a good age to get braces?
It is close to ideal for most cases. The permanent teeth are usually all in, growth is still available to help with jaw relationships, and treatment tends to move faster than it does in adults. Some cases are better started at eleven or twelve, and some can wait.
How long do teenagers usually wear braces?
Most comprehensive cases run 18 to 24 months, which is often shorter than the same case in an adult. Wearing elastics as instructed is the single biggest factor in whether that estimate holds.
Can my teenager have clear aligners instead of braces?
If the case suits aligners and your teenager will genuinely wear them for 20 to 22 hours a day, yes. If either of those is doubtful, braces will produce a better result in less time. We give an honest opinion at the consultation rather than defaulting to whichever one you ask for.
Will braces stop my teenager playing sports or an instrument?
No. A custom mouthguard makes contact sport safe with braces on, and we make them here. Wind and brass players need a short adjustment period and almost all adapt within a few weeks.
Book a Free Teen Consultation
Examination, 3D scan, written plan, and a fee, at no cost. Traditional braces start at $500 down, and the rest is on cost and financing. Call 813-867-0414 or request an appointment. We are at 10061 Beach Verbena Drive in Riverview, with evening and Saturday appointments so your teenager misses less school.