How to Choose the Best Orthodontist for Your Child

There are currently over 83,200 orthodontists and 11,900 practices across the US. If you’re looking for a local orthodontist for your child, it helps to have a plan. Otherwise, you might struggle to find the right orthodontist for their needs.

Here are a few tips you can use to find the best orthodontist in town. With these tips, you can feel confident your child is receiving the best in orthodontic care.

Start your search with these tips today!

Talk to Local Parents

You can simplify your search for a local orthodontist who treats children by speaking with other parents in the area. Talk to the parents in your inner circle and determine if any have recently visited an orthodontist. Determine if they requested dental care for themselves or their child.

Make sure you focus on finding an orthodontist that has experience treating children.

As you speak with the parents in your inner circle, consider drafting a list of questions to ask. You might consider asking:

• Is the orthodontist experienced
• Do they specialize in treating children
• What services do they offer
• Where is their practice located
• Was your child comfortable around them
• Are you happy with the services your child received

Determine if the parents encountered any issues during the course of their child’s orthodontic treatment, too. If they did, ask how the office remedied the problem. Make sure you’re finding offices that prioritize offering the best possible patient care.

Speaking with local parents can help you find the best orthodontists in town. It can also help you determine which offices to avoid.

If you’re unable to create a list of personal recommendations, begin your search online instead.

As you begin building a list of orthodontists in the area, make sure to check online for patient reviews. Check each orthodontist’s Healthcare.com, Google Business, and BBB profiles. Make sure each orthodontist has a strong reputation in the area.

If you find any complaints against the office, remove them from your list.

Look for Years of Experience

Once you have a list of orthodontists to choose from, learn more about each professional’s history in the industry. After all, some orthodontists have more hands-on experience than others. Determine how long each orthodontist has offered dental care services.

Try to find a long-established practice, too. Established businesses have had time to work out operational kinks. They’ll have an easier time offering the best possible patient care.

A new practice, on the other hand, might still need to get its footing in the industry.

Long-established practices have also outlasted competing practices in the area.

Determine how long each orthodontist has offered dental care. Make sure they have experience offering the specific orthodontic services your child is seeking, too.

For example, you might prefer your child begins treatment with traditional metal braces. Maybe you want to find an office that offers Invisalign for teens instead. Make sure the orthodontist specializes in your child’s preferred form of treatment.

If the office is inexperienced in offering Invisalign, they might struggle to use the technology involved.

Make sure the orthodontist is also experienced in treating children. Otherwise, they might struggle to put your child at ease. If your child experiences dental anxiety, they might not receive the care they need throughout their treatment.

Check Credentials

Learn more about each local orthodontist on your list by looking into their credentials.

Consider where they completed their education and training. Determine how long ago they graduated, too. While an orthodontist who graduated years ago will have more experience, they might also work based on outdated information.

Make sure the orthodontist keeps up-to-date with new technologies, treatments, and procedures. You can feel confident choosing someone who prioritizes continuing their education.

Make sure each orthodontist also has the Seal of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). Otherwise, make sure their license is up-to-date. If not, remove them from your list.

Explore Their Services

Before you visit the dentist, make sure the practice offers the specific forms of orthodontic treatments you’re considering for your child. Learn more about each form of treatment, too.

For example, your teen might prefer Invisalign treatment for its discretion. Most people won’t recognize your child is wearing clear, plastic aligners. However, your child will need to remain disciplined with this form of treatment.

They’ll need to wear their aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day to avoid delays in their treatment.

For younger children, you might prefer traditional metal braces instead. Traditional braces are also ideal for extensive orthodontic problems.

Look for Innovators

Consider what technology the practice uses to provide treatment, too.

For example, the office might use Biolase lasers to sculpt gum lines, ease pain in patients with TMJ, or whiten teeth. For Invisalign patients, they might use iTero scanning. The scanner will create virtual impressions to ensure your child’s Invisalign trays fit properly.

Make sure the team has experience using this technology. If they’re using outdated methods, keep searching.

Review Before and After Photos

Ask to see before and after photos of patients who received the form of orthodontic care you’re considering for your child. Do the before and after photos meet your expectations? Do you think your child can benefit from that form of treatment?

If the end results fail to meet your expectations or child’s needs, keep searching.

Compare Costs

Consider requesting an estimate from more than one orthodontic practice for the form of treatment you’re considering for your child. Then, compare costs to determine the local average for orthodontic services. Don’t choose the cheapest practice you find, though.

Instead, review your notes. Make sure you’re choosing a practice with your child’s needs in mind.

Straight Smiles: Find the Best Orthodontist for Your Child Today

Finding the best orthodontist in town shouldn’t feel time-consuming. Instead, use these tips to narrow down your choices. With these tips, you can find the best local orthodontist based on your child’s needs.

They’ll help improve the appearance of your child’s smile in no time.

Eager to schedule your child’s next appointment? We can’t wait to see you both.

Contact us today to get started.