Sep 28, 2026
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The Importance of Orthodontic Treatments
A+ A- A Main ContentOrthodontic treatment is about more than creating a straighter smile. The position of the teeth and the way the upper and lower teeth fit together can influence how comfortably a child bites, chews, speaks, and cares for their teeth.
As children grow, permanent teeth emerge and the jaws continue to develop. Crowding, spacing, crossbites, overbites, underbites, and other alignment concerns can become more noticeable during childhood and adolescence.
At Little Rockies Kids Dental, our orthodontic provider evaluates the teeth, bite, and dental development to determine whether orthodontic treatment may be appropriate and which treatment approach best fits your child's individual needs.
For some children, treatment may involve braces or clear aligners. For others, the most appropriate recommendation may simply be to continue monitoring growth until the timing is right.
Orthodontics Is About More Than Straight Teeth
A healthy bite brings the upper and lower teeth together in a functional relationship while orthodontic treatment can also improve tooth alignment and create a smile your child feels comfortable sharing.
A Healthy Bite Supports Everyday Function
One of the primary goals of orthodontic treatment is to create a healthy, functional bite. This means improving how the upper and lower teeth meet when your child closes their mouth.
When the teeth and jaws fit together appropriately, they can work more effectively during everyday activities such as biting and chewing. Tooth and jaw alignment can also play a role in speech for some patients.
Orthodontic concerns that can affect the bite include:
- Overbites
- Underbites
- Crossbites
- Open bites
- Crowded teeth
- Excessive spacing
- Teeth that erupt out of position
The appropriate treatment depends on the specific concern, your child's stage of dental development, and the type of tooth movement or bite correction required.
Tooth Alignment and Daily Oral Hygiene
Crowded and overlapping teeth can create areas that are more difficult to reach with a toothbrush or dental floss. Improving tooth alignment may make daily oral hygiene easier by providing better access to the surfaces between and around the teeth.
Orthodontic treatment does not replace good brushing, flossing, professional cleanings, or routine dental care. In fact, maintaining excellent oral hygiene is especially important while wearing braces or other orthodontic appliances.
Because Little Rockies Kids Dental provides pediatric dentistry and orthodontic care in the same Parker office, our team can continue monitoring your child's oral health throughout orthodontic treatment.
Orthodontics Can Address Developing Tooth and Bite Concerns
Children's mouths change considerably between the loss of the first baby teeth and the arrival of the full permanent dentition. Orthodontic care allows a provider to evaluate how those changes affect tooth position, available space, and the relationship between the upper and lower teeth.
Depending on your child's needs, orthodontic treatment may address concerns such as:
- Crowding or overlapping teeth
- Gaps or excessive spacing
- Permanent teeth erupting out of position
- Crossbites
- Overbites and underbites
- Open bites
- Tooth-position concerns associated with developing dental arches
Not every orthodontic concern requires immediate treatment. In some cases, monitoring your child's development may be the appropriate next step.
When Is Orthodontic Treatment Recommended?
There is no single age when every child should begin orthodontic treatment. The appropriate timing depends on the problem being treated and your child's dental and facial development.
An orthodontic evaluation may result in several different recommendations. Some children may benefit from treatment while they are still growing. Others may be monitored until additional permanent teeth emerge, while some may not need orthodontic treatment at all.
The purpose of an orthodontic evaluation is to identify the concern, understand how your child's smile is developing, and determine whether treatment is appropriate now or at a later stage.
When treatment is recommended, our orthodontic provider can explain the goals of treatment, available options, and why a particular approach may be appropriate for your child.
Orthodontic Treatment Options for Kids and Teens in Parker
Orthodontic treatment is not one-size-fits-all. Different appliances provide different types of control, and the appropriate choice depends on the patient's teeth, bite, development, treatment goals, and ability to follow the treatment plan.
Options available through Little Rockies Kids Dental may include:
- Traditional braces using brackets and an orthodontic archwire
- Clear ceramic braces that use less noticeable tooth-colored brackets
- Self-ligating braces that use brackets with a built-in mechanism for securing the orthodontic wire
- Invisalign® clear aligners for appropriate children and teens who qualify for removable aligner treatment
No treatment option is automatically the best choice for every patient. Our orthodontic provider can evaluate your child's needs and explain the advantages and considerations of each appropriate option.
Why Professional Orthodontic Supervision Matters
Moving teeth is a biological process involving the teeth, their roots, the surrounding bone, gums, and the way the upper and lower teeth meet. For that reason, orthodontic treatment should begin with an appropriate dental and orthodontic evaluation.
A clinical examination allows the provider to evaluate more than whether the front teeth appear crooked. Depending on the patient's needs, diagnostic records and dental imaging may also be used to evaluate tooth position, developing teeth, roots, supporting structures, and the bite before treatment begins.
Ongoing visits also allow the provider to monitor how the teeth are responding and make adjustments when necessary.
Mail-order or unsupervised orthodontic treatment may not provide the same opportunity for an in-person examination and continued clinical monitoring. Before beginning braces or clear aligners, parents should understand who is supervising treatment, how their child will be evaluated, and how progress will be monitored.
Traditional Braces Self-Ligating Braces Invisalign® Clear Aligners
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Working Together in Parker
Children's dental health and orthodontic development do not occur separately. Tooth eruption, cavity prevention, gum health, oral hygiene, bite development, and orthodontic treatment all contribute to your child's developing smile.
At Little Rockies Kids Dental, pediatric dental and orthodontic care can be coordinated within the same Parker practice.
Our pediatric dental team can continue caring for your child's teeth and gums while our orthodontic provider evaluates alignment, bite development, and orthodontic treatment needs.
For parents, this provides one familiar office where the team can follow your child's smile from the early years through the teen years.
Orthodontic Care for Kids and Teens in Parker, CO
If you have questions about your child's crowded teeth, spacing, bite, tooth eruption, or whether orthodontic treatment may be needed, an evaluation can help you better understand your child's developing smile.
Our orthodontic provider can evaluate your child's individual needs and discuss whether monitoring, braces, clear aligners, or another orthodontic approach may be appropriate.
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