Orthodontics straightens teeth and corrects how the bite fits together. Treatment is available for young children, teenagers, adults, and older patients. The options here are clear aligners and lingual braces that sit behind the teeth. What suits you depends on your age, your bite, and how much movement is needed.
What Orthodontic Treatment Covers
- Early treatment for children, from around age 7 to 10
- Teenagers and adolescents
- Adults wanting the look or the bite corrected
- Older patients needing teeth aligned before other dental work
- Clear aligners, including Invisalign and SureSmile
- Lingual braces, fitted behind the teeth
At What Age Should Orthodontic Treatment Start?
There is no single answer, because straightening teeth is not only for teenagers.
Children aged 7 to 10 may be assessed for early treatment, sometimes called Phase 1. The point is not to straighten everything at that age. It is to guide growth while the jaw is still developing, so that later treatment is simpler.
Teenagers are the group most people picture, and it remains a common time to treat.
Adults are treated for appearance, for bite problems, or because teeth have shifted since braces years ago.
Older patients are sometimes treated to line teeth up before crowns, bridges, or implants, so that work fits properly.
What Teeth Straightening Options Are There?
Two routes are offered, and they suit different people.
| Clear aligners | Lingual braces | |
|---|---|---|
| Where they sit | Over the teeth, removable | Behind the teeth, fixed |
| Visible? | Barely | No, they are hidden from the front |
| Removable | Yes, for eating and brushing | No |
| Depends on you | Yes, they only work when worn | No, they work regardless |
| Cleaning | Brush and floss as normal | Takes more care around the brackets |
| Best for | Everyday crowding, gaps, and bite issues | Cases wanting fixed treatment kept out of sight |
Clear aligners cover both Invisalign and SureSmile. Lingual braces suit people who want fixed treatment but do not want it on show. That is the usual reason adults ask about them.
Who Provides Orthodontic Treatment?
This is worth being clear about. Orthodontic treatment here is provided by a general dentist with advanced orthodontic training, working with external specialists where a case calls for it.
That is a normal and legitimate arrangement. Worth knowing in general. In Ontario, only a dentist registered as a specialist with the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario may advertise as an orthodontist. You are entitled to ask any practice who will be treating you.
Will I Need a Retainer?
Teeth drift back. This is the part people are least prepared for, and it is not optional.
Two kinds of retainer are used:
- Clear removable retainers, worn as instructed
- Fixed retainers, bonded quietly behind the teeth
Which you get, or whether you get both, is decided as treatment finishes. Straightening teeth is the work. Keeping them straight is the habit.
Do I Need Braces or Just Aligners?
That comes down to how far the teeth have to move and how your bite behaves, not to preference alone.
Straightforward crowding, gaps, and everyday bite problems are usually well suited to aligners. Bigger movements sometimes need fixed treatment. A dental exam generally comes before orthodontic treatment, because teeth cannot be moved safely over untreated decay or gum disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book an Orthodontic Consultation in Nobleton
People searching for orthodontics near you are usually weighing up aligners against braces. That decision is made properly at an assessment, where the movement your teeth actually need can be seen.
- Clear aligners or lingual braces, with the trade-offs explained
- Treated by a general dentist with advanced orthodontic training
Children, teenagers, and adults are all assessed. Patients from Nobleton, King City, Bolton, and Schomberg are welcome.
Nobleton Dental Smiles is a dentist in Nobleton, ON, at 12931 Ontario Hwy 27 #3, Nobleton, ON L0G 1N0.