Orthodontist Robert B. Pickard
Pickard Orthodontics

West County Office
121 Baxter Shops
Manchester, MO 63011
Telephone: (636) 256-2626
Fax: (636) 527-3495

South County Office
11810 Gravois Road, Suite 101
Sunset Hills, MO 63127
Telephone: (314) 849-9800
Fax: (314) 849-9801

E-mail: info@pickardorthodontics.com

Why Braces? · For Children · For Adults
Orthodontic Treatments · Ortho Dictionary
Surgical Orthodontics · Resources

picture For Children

In keeping with guidelines established by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), Dr. Pickard recommends that a child's first visit with him take place at the age of seven. Some orthodontic conditions, such as cross bites and narrow palates, can be corrected with early treatment at young ages, while the child is still growing. Occasionally, a child is uncomfortably self-conscious about teeth that stick out or are severely crowded. In such cases, an immediate limited treatment (Phase One) can be rendered to improve the appearance of the child's smile.

Early evaluations can also reveal eruption problems---retained primary teeth that are impeding the proper eruption of permanent teeth or teeth that are impacted or erupting significantly out of place. Some of these conditions warrant referral to an oral surgeon; others just bear watching for a time. Or they may benefit from Phase One intervention. Orthodontic appliances can also be used to help kids break chronic thumb or finger sucking habits. In many cases, however, the first visit establishes a baseline by which Dr. Pickard can monitor the child's development and better determine the most opportune time to begin treatment, if needed.

Phase One treatment is limited treatment, rendered while a child is in the mixed dentition (some permanent teeth, mixed with the primary teeth). Typical first phase treatments include rapid palatal expansion appliance therapy, used to correct cross bites or alleviate dental crowding, and two-by-four braces (four brackets on the incisors, or front teeth, and two bands on the molars) to align the most conspicuous teeth in a child's smile. After completion of Phase One care, a child will typically wear a retainer for a period of time, to stabilize and maintain the achieved result. After that, Dr. Pickard will monitor the patient periodically, awaiting the best time to continue with Phase Two of active treatment---usually full braces.

For the many patients with conditions that do not require or even benefit from early treatment, Dr. Pickard waits to render the care in one single phase. Single Phase treatment is typically begun once all of the primary teeth have been lost, even while the last permanent teeth continue to come in. Usually, the treatment involves moving the teeth and correcting the bite with braces.