Preventative Braces in Atlanta, GA

At Patel & Womble Orthodontics, our board-certified orthodontists, Dr. Ruchir R. Patel and Dr. Brian A. Womble, provide preventative braces at both of our Norcross and McDonough locations. What exactly is preventative orthodontics? It’s an early phase of braces for kids and braces for teens that prevent more complex corrective needs down the line.

Space Maintainers

If your child loses a tooth prematurely or needs to have a tooth pulled due to decay, a space maintainer preserves the spacing patterns between adjacent teeth until the adult tooth can erupt. Otherwise, the teeth would start to shift together, causing crowding and misalignment with the rest of the bite. This can also cause the adult tooth to be impacted, requiring more extensive orthodontic treatment later.

Also called a “band and loop,” space maintainers are usually placed on your child’s smile before braces while we wait on other adult teeth to come into place.

Tongue Cribs

A tongue thrusting habit involves pushing the tongue against the upper front teeth when your child swallows. It can be caused by prolonged thumb sucking, pacifier use or your child’s tongue never adapting to proper swallowing techniques.

As the tongue pushes on the front teeth, it can gradually cause them to splay or jet out. It would require placing braces on your child’s teeth to correct. Fortunately, our Atlanta area orthodontists can prevent the teeth from getting pushed out by placing a “tongue crib” on the back of the upper teeth.

Tongue cribs help train your child to swallow properly and to discourage the tongue thrusting against the teeth. This can keep the cost of braces down by reducing the extent of tooth misalignment in the future.

Phase 1 / Early Intervention Braces for Kids

In some cases, your child may benefit from early braces to encourage proper tooth eruption patterns and jaw development. While some parents may not be fond of the idea of breaking the treatment up into two different phases, earlier preventative techniques can drastically reduce the time spent in braces once your child has gotten a bit older.

Preventative Braces for Adults

Did you know that getting braces for adults can significantly impact your ability to avoid problems like TMJ disorder, migraines, broken fillings, gum disease and tooth decay? Adult braces are an efficient way to prevent dental health problems and manage conditions that are currently impacting your smile.

The Cost of Affordable Preventative Braces in Atlanta

Preventative braces are usually much more affordable than more complex braces because they prevent problems from becoming too complex. In some circumstances, it can prevent the need for children’s braces or braces for teen’s altogether.

Could your child or teen benefit from preventative braces? Contact Patel & Womble Orthodontics to schedule a consultation at our McDonough or Norcross office near Atlanta. Dr. Brian A. Womble or Dr. Ruchir R. Patel will be happy to discuss your options with you so that you can find an effective preventative braces plan for you or your child. Be sure to ask about our affordable financing plans!