Braces Aren`t Just For Teenagers Anymore on KFYR-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Braces Aren`t Just For Teenagers Anymore

By Kelly Cullivan

12/22/2005

Carol Ellison never thought that she would be bringing her 7-year-old daughter Amber here...to the orthodontist`s office. But Carol was told just over a month ago that Amber needed braces.

"We thought we had quite a few years before she would have to have braces, so we were surprised," she said.

A reaction many parents in her same situation have. But this isn`t something new. Dr. John Warford has been using the two-phase treatment for over ten years. Patients who have overbites, underbites, buck teeth, and severe overcrowding can benefit from this treatment. The first phase occurs when patients are about seven years old and last about 10-18 months. The second phase happens when patients are about 12 years old, and it lasts about 18-24 months. The concept is a preventative one. Dr. Warford says orthodontists want to save teeth, not pull them.

"When you have crowding in an orthodontist case, in the past, traditionally, you would pull teeth to make space and then put braces on to straighten the teeth," Dr. John Warford, Sr. said.

"Sometimes doing things in two steps is much easier for them, and the end result is much better with less compromise," Dr. John Warford, Jr. adds.

The doctors say aesthetics play a huge role too, which is something Carol knows all about.

"I think it is good for her because she also had buck teeth a little bit, so that`s going to correct that at an early age and maybe prevent some teasing along the way," Carol said.

And Amber definitely doesn`t get teased at school for wearing braces.
"They asked me a lot of questions...like how did you get them on, and like did it hurt," Amber said.

Amber says her braces have made her one of the coolest kids in school.

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