Information for parents

We encourage you to bring your child in for their first orthodontic consultation around the age of 7. At this age, our orthodontist, Dr. Deborah Solomon, can screen for potential orthodontic issues and intercept them before they worsen.

Most children begin orthodontic treatment in their teenage years, but catching the issues early on will help you form the best plan for the health of your child’s smile.

Orthodontic treatment is about so much more than just a pretty smile. A straight smile is easier to keep clean, so treatment can protect your child’s smile against tooth decay. Straight teeth are also less likely to get injured from facial trauma and can help address chewing, speaking, or breathing difficulties.

At your child’s first visit with us, we will learn about your concerns for your child’s smile and answer any questions you may have about orthodontics. We will also discuss if your child has had a history of dental trauma, thumb-sucking, or other issues that could impact the health of their smile.

We will then do a gentle examination of your child’s teeth and jaws using X-rays and scans. We use digital technology at our office to make this exam as swift, safe, and comfortable as possible for your child.

Once Dr. Solomon has assessed your child’s smile, she will determine if (and when) they could benefit from orthodontic treatment, and create a custom treatment plan that best fits your child’s needs.

This is a no-obligation consultation, so you do not need to make an immediate decision. If you think up more questions after your appointment, feel free to contact our team. We want you to feel fully informed and confident in your decision to start your child’s treatment with us.

Yes, absolutely. You will be involved in every step of your child’s initial consultation.

If you have a recent (within 6 months) panoramic X-ray to share with us at the consultation we can skip the X-ray, if not, we will be able to take this panoramic X-ray which will give us the additional information we need to properly diagnose the development and position of all your teeth. 

During your first visit to our office, you can expect to learn:

• If your child has an orthodontic issue – and what it is
• All treatment options that can correct the problem
• How long the recommended treatment will take
• The custom treatment cost – and payment options

If your child has an issue that we can correct through orthodontic treatment, Dr. Solomon will explain the issue to you in-depth and lay out all the potential treatment options. She will also give you her top treatment recommendation.

Dr. Solomon can discuss when it will be best for your child to begin treatment, and if it makes sense to wait until all their permanent teeth have come in.

Early orthodontic treatment isn’t necessary in all cases. Sometimes, Dr. Solomon will choose to simply monitor your child’s smile every six months or so and intervene at the opportune time down the road.

We will let you know if your child could benefit from Phase One treatment. If so, treating problems early on can prevent them from becoming complex orthodontic issues. This can save you a lot of time and money on treatment in their teenage years.

If your child has special needs, please let us know when you book your appointment. We will make preparations so they can have as pleasant and comfortable an experience as possible. If it would help them feel better, we can even schedule an At Home Concierge appointment.

Dr. Solomon will let you know the best treatment for your child’s smile during your free consultation. Most orthodontic issues can be treated with aligners, or with a combination of fixed appliances and aligners.

We even have an Invisalign^® treatment, designed especially for children, called Invisalign^® First!

Your child’s smile is unique, and we are going to create a custom treatment plan JUST for their smile. Because of that, we won’t know the exact cost of their orthodontic treatment until we assess their smile.

That being said, we do offer flexible payment plans to spread out the cost of your child’s treatment and will work with you to ensure finances don’t get in the way of the health of your child’s smile.