Serving Children, Teens & Adults
Everyone in Hoover deserves high-quality orthodontic care and a beautiful smile. At Backus Orthodontics, we proudly offer a full range of orthodontic care for children, adults, and everyone in-between.
Orthodontics for Children
Give Your Child A Lifetime Of Smiles
Bringing your child in to Backus Orthodontics for orthodontic examinations and care at a young age is the best way to ensure them a lifetime of healthy teeth and aligned smiles.
Benefits of Early Evaluation
Your child needs teeth and jaws that are properly aligned to have a smile that's long-lasting and healthy – in other words, a good bite. The earlier we catch problems with your child’s bite, the simpler they are to fix.
The results are often better than if we wait and require less work. We may not need to keep braces on your child for as long when they are younger, which means less expense for you.
While there is no exact age that all children should begin orthodontic treatment, Dr. Jeff Backus and the American Association of Orthodontists recommend that your child should visit the orthodontist around age seven.
We may not have to do anything at this age, other than monitor the child’s mouth. However, if we continue to watch your child, we can start treatment right away!
You may wonder why the AAO emphasizes age seven. At that age, the first adult molars are coming in and helping establish the back bite.
We can then evaluate your child’s bite, both front-to-back and side-to-side. There are many reasons to start treatment early.
This check-up may reveal that your child's bite is fine and braces aren't necessary. In some cases, Dr. Jeff Backus may identify a developing problem, but recommend monitoring your child's growth and development.
Then, when indicated, begin treatment at the appropriate time for your child at Backus Orthodontics. In other cases, Dr. Jeff Backus might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment.
When Is the Best Time for Orthodontic Treatment?
While the age that kids get braces may vary, orthodontic treatment at Backus Orthodontics most often begins between the ages of 9 and 14. Some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if Dr. Jeff Backus treats your child early.
If Dr. Jeff Backus thinks your child will need treatment, he’ll let you know when it will be best to begin treatment, and this gives him the best time to:
- Correct and guide the growth of your child's jaw to help the permanent teeth come in straight
- Regulate the width of the upper and lower arches
- Create more space for crowded teeth
- Avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions later in life
- Correct thumb sucking and help improve minor speech problems
What Is Early Treatment?
Early treatment at Backus Orthodontics may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter, simpler, and less expensive.
In some cases, Dr. Jeff Backus will be able to achieve results that would be much more difficult to achieve if the face and jaws finish growing.
Early intervention can be beneficial. We will watch how your child’s mouth and teeth grow and develop, so if we see something that needs to be done, we will do it. We will also know exactly when to start treatment if needed.
Signs the Bite's Not Right
For Hoover parents, it's not always easy to know if your child may need orthodontic treatment. Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a deeper problem with their bite.
Here are a few clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention at Backus Orthodontics:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- A hard time chewing or biting food
- Mouth breathing
- Finger or thumb sucking
- Crowded, misplaced, or blocked teeth
- Jaws that pop or make sounds when opening and closing
- Teeth that come together abnormally, or do not come together at all
- Jaws and teeth that are not proportionate to the rest of the face
- Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight
Learn More at Your Free Consultation
Please contact our Hoover office at (205) 987-0040 to schedule a free appointment for an orthodontic evaluation.
Early treatment at Backus Orthodontics now will help your child enjoy healthy, beautiful smiles in the future.
Orthodontics for Teens
Treatment That Fits You
Braces today come in a variety of styles, materials, and colors, making life with braces much easier, more comfortable, and even more stylish than in the past.
Newer treatment options, like the variety of clear aligners we offer at Backus Orthodontics, provide low-profile alignment solutions that will let you do you.
All About Teen Orthodontics
The teen years (between the ages of 12 and 16) are the most common time for orthodontic treatment at Backus Orthodontics because that’s when most permanent teeth will be in place.
All teenagers dread the day that the dentist tells them they might need braces (or, at the very least, a retainer).
Braces are not as scary as most people think. They have advanced a lot in recent years. Now they come in different colors, styles, and even materials so that all teenagers can get the smiles they deserve without worrying about what others will think.
The newer styles of braces are more comfortable and stylish so that all teenagers can have smiles they are proud to show off.
Experienced orthodontists like Dr. Jeff Backus can easily recognize issues with spacing, crowding, bite, and alignment during this age range. Around this age, bone and jaw structures are developed enough to best facilitate orthodontic treatment at our office in Hoover.
Choose Your Treatment
After evaluating your teen’s smile, Dr. Jeff Backus may recommend an orthodontic appliance. There are also several types of braces including traditional metal ones, ceramic ones, and invisible ones. Depending on your needs, lingual braces may be another option.
Here at Backus Orthodontics, options include:
Metal Braces
Bulky, ugly braces are a thing of the past. At Backus Orthodontics, we use lightweight traditional metal braces and Damon Self-Ligating Brackets, making your experience comfortable and painless.
Ceramic Braces
Also known as clear braces, these work the same way as metal braces, but feature brackets that blend in with your teen’s smile.
Invisalign® for Teens
The Invisalign system is made up of a series of fully customized, clear aligners. These can straighten your teen’s smile without any metal or wires.
Orthodontics for Adults
Now Is the Time for a Confident Smile
No matter your age, you deserve a smile of which you are proud. You might not realize that at Backus Orthodontics we can fix your tooth alignment no matter your age.
Braces are not just for children anymore—Dr. Jeff Backus can get you the smile you deserve!
Beautiful Smiles Build Confidence
Here at Backus Orthodontics, we work hard to give you the smile you’ve always wanted. We offer many different treatments that can be effective no matter how old you are. More and more orthodontic treatments are becoming available to give adults the smile that they want.
Orthodontic treatments are not just for your smile, even though they can really improve your appearance and self-esteem. Fixing your teeth can also dramatically change your oral health. When you have crooked teeth or a malocclusion, you may have some oral health problems such as disease and tartar buildup.
It can be really hard to brush between your teeth when they don’t line up correctly, which will lead to more cavities and decay. Many people who suffer from malocclusions have jaw pain along with headaches.
As newer and newer technologies are designed, it is getting easier to get the smile you deserve. You won’t have to come in for as many follow-ups and may have a better smile even quicker than you thought possible.
If you want to improve your smile, we always start with a thorough examination and X-rays. We will then discuss your many options, including different forms of braces, aligners, and retainers. We also will talk about the treatment plan, what you should expect, and the cost. If your insurance will cover some of the costs, we will glad to help you figure it out.