Young little girl with bang holding invisible aligner orthodontic and braces smiling with a happy and cool smile on face. showing teeth.

Braces for Kids

Early Treatment With Braces for Kids

Early orthodontic care can make a tremendous difference in your child’s smile and overall oral health. By guiding growth and addressing developing issues early, treatment can often be simpler, faster, and more cost-effective in the long run. At Milwaukee Orthodontics, Dr. Chandok provides a full range of early treatment options designed to encourage proper jaw development, create space for incoming permanent teeth, and correct bite concerns before they become more serious.

Early orthodontic care can also help break habits such as thumb-sucking, support healthy speech development, and reduce the risk of trauma from protruding or misaligned teeth. Our goal is to help every child build a healthy, confident smile that will last well into adulthood. A straight, balanced smile not only improves dental health but can also boost your child’s confidence during their most formative years.

We invite you to schedule a consultation so Dr. Chandok can evaluate your child’s specific needs and develop a personalized treatment plan to guide their growth and smile development.

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What Is the Best Age to Get Braces?

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation by age seven. This is an ideal time because adult teeth are beginning to come in, and early signs of bite or spacing issues can be detected.

At Milwaukee Orthodontics, Dr. Chandok focuses on identifying and guiding jaw and tooth development during this important growth phase. Early observation allows us to monitor changes and decide whether treatment should begin immediately or at a later stage. In many cases, this approach helps reduce the amount of time a child will need braces or other appliances later in life.

If your child isn’t quite ready for treatment, we’ll establish a follow-up plan to track their growth and ensure we begin treatment at just the right time.

Common Signs Your Child May Need to See an Orthodontist

If your child shows any of the following signs, it may be time to schedule an orthodontic consultation with Dr. Chandok at Milwaukee Orthodontics:

Early or delayed loss of baby teeth
Difficulty chewing or biting
Mouth breathing
Thumb-sucking beyond age five
Crowded, misplaced, or blocked teeth

Recognizing these signs early allows us to intervene before more complex problems develop. Our team is happy to answer any questions and help determine the best next steps for your child’s orthodontic care.

Life With Braces

Braces help children achieve a healthier, more confident smile while allowing them to stay active and enjoy their daily routines. It’s normal for the mouth to feel a little sore for the first few days after braces are placed or adjusted. Eating soft foods and using orthodontic wax can help ease this temporary discomfort.

Good oral hygiene is key during treatment. Dr. Chandok and the team at Milwaukee Orthodontics will teach your child how to properly brush and floss around their braces and avoid foods that can damage brackets or wires—such as sticky, chewy, or hard snacks. Regular dental checkups and good home care will help keep their smile clean and healthy throughout treatment.

At your child’s first braces appointment, we’ll provide detailed instructions and helpful tips to make sure their braces stay in great condition and their smile keeps progressing beautifully.

At Milwaukee Orthodontics, Dr. Chandok takes a proactive approach to children’s orthodontic care through what’s known as two-phase treatment. This approach focuses on guiding the growth of a child’s developing jaw and teeth to create a healthy, functional, and beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime.

The first phase of treatment typically begins when a child still has a mix of baby and permanent teeth, usually between the ages of 6 and 10. The goal at this stage is to address underlying issues that could affect how the jaw grows or how permanent teeth erupt. During this phase, Dr. Chandok may use limited braces, expanders, or other appliances to:

Create space for incoming permanent teeth
Correct crossbites or underbites
Improve jaw alignment and balance facial growth
Break harmful oral habits such as thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting

By addressing these concerns early, phase one treatment helps reduce the need for more extensive procedures later on and promotes a foundation for a stable, well-aligned bite.

After the first phase is complete, your child enters a resting period—a time when we monitor growth and allow the remaining permanent teeth to come in naturally. Regular checkups ensure that development continues on track and that we can identify the right time to begin the second phase.

The second phase begins once all or most of the permanent teeth have erupted, typically during early adolescence. During this stage, Dr. Chandok focuses on fine-tuning the alignment of the teeth and bite using full braces or clear aligners. The goal is to ensure every tooth fits precisely into place, resulting in a balanced bite, a healthy smile, and long-term stability.

The Benefits of a Two-Phase Approach

Two-phase treatment can make a significant difference in a child’s oral development by:

Reducing the risk of crowding or impaction of teeth
Preventing future jaw surgery or extractions
Enhancing facial symmetry and airway health
Making future treatment shorter and more predictable

By taking advantage of your child’s natural growth, Dr. Chandok can guide their smile’s development efficiently and comfortably—helping them achieve both a healthy bite and a confident smile that lasts a lifetime.