Teen Orthodontic Treatment
Honest Answers for Parents
You have questions. Real ones. Not the polished version. The ones you are actually thinking when you consider starting this process for your teenager.
How long is this actually going to take? Which option is genuinely better for my kid? What happens during soccer season? And what is this going to cost when the insurance explanation of benefits shows up?
Those are exactly the right questions, and this page is built to answer them. At Rawlins Orthodontics, we treat teens from families across Wilmington, Hockessin, Pike Creek, and Newark, Delaware, as well as bordering communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, including Kennett Square, Avondale, Elkton, and surrounding areas. The conversation we have with every parent in our consultation room covers all of these.
Adolescence is the most common window for orthodontic treatment because the permanent teeth are in and the jaw is still actively developing, which allows for the most efficient correction. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have a first evaluation by age seven, but most comprehensive teen treatment begins between ages eleven and fifteen. Treatment options for teens include traditional braces and clear aligners. The right choice depends on the complexity of the case, the teen's lifestyle, and their ability to follow through with the compliance requirements of removable aligners.
How Long Will Treatment Take?
The honest answer: most teen cases finish in 18 to 24 months.
A simpler case, like mild crowding with a healthy bite, might wrap up closer to 12 to 14 months. A more complex correction involving significant bite issues, jaw position, or severe crowding can take longer. The range is that wide, and anyone who gives you a precise number without evaluating your teen first is guessing.
What determines the timeline is the complexity of what needs to be corrected, how consistently the treatment plan is followed, and how your teen's teeth respond to the applied forces. These are not things that can be predicted from a photo or a brief conversation. They require a thorough clinical evaluation.
At your consultation, R. Baker Rawlins II, DMD, MS will evaluate your teen's bite, take the necessary records, and give you a realistic, individualized estimate grounded in the actual clinical picture. You will leave the consultation knowing what you are looking at.
One thing that shortens treatment more reliably than anything else: keeping appointments and wearing the appliance as directed. Both are within your family's control.
Braces or Clear Aligners?
The right answer depends on your teen specifically, not on what their friends are doing.
Both braces and clear aligners are proven, effective treatment options for adolescents. Neither is universally better. The recommendation Dr. Rawlins makes will be based on the clinical needs of the case first, and personal preference second.
The compliance question is the one Dr. Rawlins takes seriously in every teen consultation. He will speak directly to your teen during the appointment about what consistent wear means for the outcome. Teens who understand the why behind the expectation tend to follow through.
Your Teen Will Not Miss a Game
Orthodontic treatment does not sideline athletes. Here is how we work around their schedule.
Teenagers in our practice play football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, basketball, and baseball. They swim competitively. They run track. They are in the school musical and first chair in the orchestra. Treatment works around their life, not the other way around.
For teens in braces: The recommendation for contact sports is a mouthguard, the same one most programs already require. A properly fitted mouthguard protects the brackets and the teeth. Braces do not prevent your teen from playing. For non-contact sports and activities, no modification is needed at all.
For teens in clear aligners: Aligners are removable. They come out for contact sports, performances, or any occasion where your teen would rather not have them in. They go back in when the activity is over. Most active teens manage the wear target without difficulty.
On scheduling: appointments are typically 30 minutes or less and are scheduled with your calendar in mind.
What Does It Really Cost?
You will know the exact investment for your teen's specific treatment plan at the end of your consultation, before you make any decision.
That range exists because no two cases are the same. You will know the exact investment for your teen's specific treatment plan at the end of your consultation, before you make any decision.
If you are ready to understand what treatment would look like for your teen, the next step is a free consultation. We see families from Wilmington, Hockessin, Pike Creek, and Newark, Delaware, as well as bordering communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, including Kennett Square, Avondale, Elkton, and surrounding areas. Call (302) 239-3531 or schedule at RawlinsOrthodontics.com. You are in good hands with our Rockstar Team, and we will walk you through everything.
What Parents in Our Practice Say
"Our son plays travel baseball and we were worried about how braces were going to work with that. Dr. Rawlins was completely matter-of-fact about it. Get a good mouthguard, keep your appointments, and your season is your season. He did not miss a single game."
— Parent of a 14-year-old patient
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About Rawlins Orthodontics
Rawlins Orthodontics is a family-owned, Board-Certified orthodontic practice serving Wilmington, Hockessin, Pike Creek, and Newark, Delaware, as well as bordering communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, including Kennett Square, Avondale, Elkton, and surrounding areas. R. Baker Rawlins II, DMD, MS has cared for thousands of patients since 2011 and is named annually as one of Delaware's Top Orthodontists by Delaware Today Magazine. We offer braces, Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, and early intervention orthodontics for children and adults.
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