Orthodontics for Kids
Let your Smile change the world! Dr. Loo and Dr. Yen are Board Certified Specialists in Orthodontics. They each have over 2 decades of experience and have helped thousands of kids and teenagers in Vancouver develop healthy, beautiful smiles!
Orthodontics for Kids
Dr. Loo and Dr. Yen recommend that children have their first orthodontic appointment when they turn 7 years old. By then, their first adult teeth have come through and can be evaluated for any irregular teeth and jaw concerns like cross bites, under bites, and crowding. Treatment of children is best done in two phases.
PHASE ONE: INTERCEPTIVE ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
Phase one, or interceptive orthodontic treatment, occurs when your child still has a mixture of baby and adult teeth. The goal of phase one treatment is to improve your child’s facial profile by guiding the proper growth and development of jaws and incoming adult teeth. Phase one treatment often simplifies or eliminates future orthodontic treatment by:
- Correcting conditions that could lead to jaw issues that are too severe to achieve ideal results without jaw surgery
- Correcting persistent habits like sucking thumbs, fingers, or pacifiers
- Addressing abnormal swallowing or speech problems
- Reducing the likelihood of impacted adult teeth or required tooth extractions to correct overcrowding
- Maximizing the time and opportunity to accomplish an ideal smile
Phase one treatment may include the use of partial braces, headgear, rapid palatal expanders, face masks and retainers to address orthodontic concerns.
PHASE TWO: FULL ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
Phase two, or full treatment, occurs when all of the permanent adult teeth have erupted. Patients are generally ready for full treatment starting around 11 to 13 years old, with girls usually starting 6 to 12 months sooner than boys.
The goal of phase two is to ensure that each tooth has an exact location in the mouth where it is in harmony with the lips, cheeks, tongue, jaws, and other teeth. When this balance is reached, the result is a beautiful smile with healthy and functional teeth!
Phase two treatment can take between one to three years, depending on your child’s case, age, cooperation and consistency in keeping appointments.
World Class Orthodontic Specialists in Vancouver, BC
Dr. Angelina Loo
Dr. Angie Loo has been practicing as a Certified Specialist in Orthodontics in Vancouver for over 25 years. Dr. Loo graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of British Columbia in 1985, and from the University of Manitoba with a combined certification in the specialty of Orthodontics and Masters in Science in Craniofacial Biology in 1989. Her clinical research interests are in 3D outcomes in children with cleft and craniofacial conditions, with her work most recently recognized as the 2022 recipient of the AAO Humanitarian Award.
Dr. Edwin Yen
Dr. Yen is a Certified Specialist in Orthodontics with over 3 decades of experience. He has degrees from McGill University and University of Toronto. He is the past Dean of the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, and is Professor and program director of the Graduate Orthodontics Program at UBC.