Braces for Kids in South-West Michigan
Offering Phase 1 and 2 orthodontics in Battle Creek, Three Rivers, Marshall, and Kalamazoo, MI.

An early evaluation is a good idea.
Has your child experienced any discomfort or difficulties with their teeth coming in?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends children visit an orthodontist for a checkup at age seven. Children start losing their baby teeth at this age, and permanent teeth start erupting.
Bandeen Orthodontics can assess your child’s spacing needs, growth patterns, and any existing abnormalities. From proactive early orthodontics for kids to traditional braces, and expert management of unique cases, we offer a comprehensive range of services. We prioritize individualized care, ensuring every smile reflects both health and confidence.
Early Orthodontic Treatment with Bandeen Orthodontics
Even though a lot of kids have braces or expanders around 8 through 10 years of age, most of those kids will have treatment a second time when they are around 12 or 13 years of age. In the end, people who have treatment once at around 12 or 13 years of age will look just as good, if not better, than people who had treatment twice.
So, why would anyone have treatment twice if it will look just as good doing it once?
There are three reasons to have early treatment:
-
Extreme Self-Consciousness
Someone is too self-conscious to wait.
-
Emergencies
There will be pain or damage unless we change something
-
Airway Concerns
We see kids who have sleep apnea or concerns due to narrowness of their airway. Many kids with sleep apnea have normal size mouths but with large tonsils and adenoids.
Other kids have small mouths and can see an improvement in their airway by making their mouths bigger. Either way, kids with airway concerns can often benefit both from orthodontics to widen their airway as well as an evaluation with their family doctor or an Ear, Nose, & Throat doctor (ENT) to see if there is something blocking their airway
Essentially, earlier intervention will make any future treatments more effective, reduce health risks, and boost confidence!

Not necessarily, let us explain!

It’s typically not harmful to have treatment twice, but the question is more “is it necessary?” We can see kids look better after having treatment at around 8-10 years of age, but that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t look just as good by the time they are finished with a single time in treatment around age 12-13 years of age.
While some kids may benefit from orthodontic treatment twice, it’s rarely necessary. Many start early simply because they weren’t given the option to wait. We recommend an initial orthodontic evaluation around age 7 to see if early help is needed, though most kids won’t benefit from treatment until age 12 or 13. Only about 5% of kids truly need early treatment.
At Bandeen Orthodontics, we focus on assessing growth and answering questions for families to ensure healthy dental development. In the past, extensive early treatments like expanders and lip bumpers were common, but advances with Damon™ System Braces and ORMCO Digital Bonding allow us to wait until adult teeth come in, minimizing unnecessary treatment. Our goal is to provide only what’s truly beneficial for your child’s smile.
The Benefits of Braces for Children
An Evaluation to Determine Orthodontic Treatment

An initial exam lets Bandeen Orthodontics evaluate your child’s orthodontic needs. Many children don’t need treatment at age seven, and Dr. Timothy or Dr. Emily and our staff keep an eye on them until their permanent teeth erupt.
However, some children require early treatment to address issues that can develop into bigger problems as they get older. Orthodontists are trained to spot and address problems during a child’s development. We evaluate jaw growth patterns and step in with treatment when children need it.
We can evaluate overbites, underbites, deep or open bites, crossbites, spacing or crowding issues, finger or thumb habits, and skeletal or dental protrusions during exams.
Schedule Your Orthodontic Visit



