Kids orthodontics in Lincoln, NE
Board-certified orthodontists guiding growing smiles in Lincoln and Seward. First visit is free, including a digital scan and a look at what your child actually needs, if anything yet.
The right time to start
Most children do not need treatment at age seven. They need to be looked at. An early evaluation tells us whether your child is developing normally, whether braces or Invisalign will be needed later, and whether a small correction now could prevent a much larger one at fourteen. our doctors will tell you plainly if the answer is simply to wait and watch, using digital records to track growth at no charge until the timing is right.
First visit by age seven
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an evaluation by age seven, while the first permanent molars and incisors are coming in.
It is an assessment, not a commitment. Most children leave with nothing more than a recheck scheduled.
Phase 1: guiding growth
Between roughly ages seven and ten, we can widen a narrow jaw, create room for permanent teeth, and correct a developing bite while the bone is still forming.
Phase 2: aligning the smile
Once the permanent teeth are in, braces or Invisalign finish the job. Phase 1 often makes this stage shorter and simpler.
What early treatment prevents
Catching a problem while the jaw is still growing is usually simpler, shorter, and less invasive than correcting it after growth has finished. This is called Early Interceptive Orthodontics.
Two-phase treatment catches problems early
Starting around age seven lets us guide jaw growth rather than work against it. Only a small number of children need treatment this early, but for those who do, the difference is significant.
If early treatment is indicated, it can give us the chance to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits
- Improve appearance and self-esteem
- Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
- Improve the way lips meet
No more gooey impressions
Being an iTero digital practice means we scan your teeth for an accurate digital model of your mouth. This is the most comfortable, precise, and efficient way to start any orthodontic treatment.
- No radiation, iTero uses light to take the scan
- Only takes about five minutes
- So precise that it allows us to monitor wear on your teeth
- We can show you a free outcome simulator, which is a depiction of how your actual teeth could look after our doctors prescribe your treatment plan
Kids Club
Our Kid’s Club is the best group to get to know your Lincoln orthodontist office. Anyone under the age of seven (a lot of times siblings of current patients) can join. Get a free t-shirt, and receive a free ice cream coupon in the mail for your birthday!
Appliances we use
Not every correction uses braces. These are the appliances we reach for most often in Phase 1, all made in our own lab.
Rapid palate expander
Widens a narrow upper jaw so permanent teeth have room to come in naturally, often avoiding extractions later.
Herbst appliance
Holds the lower jaw forward to correct an overbite during the growth spurt. It also reduces the risk of injury to protruding front teeth.
Space maintainers and habit appliances
Lower lingual holding arches and Nance appliances keep molars from drifting. Gentle habit appliances help children stop thumb-sucking and tongue thrust.
Making it easy on your family
Treatment has to fit around school, sports, and everything else your family is juggling. We plan for that.
Appointments that respect the school day
Visits fall every 6 to 10 weeks, not monthly, so your child misses less class and you take fewer hours off work.
A first visit that is not scary
No needles, no drills, no goopy impressions. Just a look around, a quick digital scan, and a conversation. Free sports mouthguards for our patients too.
Family discounts and no-interest plans
If more than one child is in treatment, a family discount applies. We accept all insurance plans and set everyone up with automatic no-interest payments.
What you need to know
Timelines, what treatment costs, and why our in-house lab matters to your family.
Phase 1 runs 9 to 15 months
Followed by a resting period, then Phase 2 once the permanent teeth arrive.
No-interest plans
Automatic monthly payments, family discounts, and all insurance plans accepted.
In-house advantage
We build expanders, Herbst appliances, and retainers on site, so repairs and adjustments do not mean waiting on an outside lab.
Happy kids, happy parents! #shine
See the transformations our young patients have achieved with early treatment, braces, and Invisalign.
Parent FAQ
The questions Lincoln and Seward parents ask us most about early orthodontic care.
Treatment costs vary based on complexity and duration, typically ranging from $3,000 to $7,000. We offer flexible no-interest financing plans and work with most insurance providers to make treatment affordable for your family.
Your treatment fee is the same regardless of if you choose braces or Invisalign clear aligners, and we offer no interest payment plans and provide automatic monthly payments for your convenience.
We accept all insurance plans and are PPO for many of the main orthodontic insurance providers in Nebraska.
Family discounts apply as well as a discount for payment in full. You find out all your payment options at your first visit and all your questions will be answered.
Once you start your plan, everything is included. Every visit you need, after-hours care or questions if ever needed, soft tissue laser recontouring or cosmetic tooth reshaping if necessary, one round of retainers at the end of treatment, even extended to checkup visits up to a year after treatment is all at no extra charge.
There are no needles and no drills in orthodontics. Children usually feel mild pressure for a few days after an appliance is placed or adjusted, which over-the-counter pain relief handles easily. Our team takes comfort seriously and explains everything before we do it.
Most children are ready for braces between ages 10 and 14, though every smile develops differently. We recommend an initial consultation around age 7 to monitor growth and catch any early issues that might benefit from two-phase treatment.
According to the AAO, children should visit an orthodontist by age seven to intercept possible problem conditions during growth that could make braces or Invisalign treatment much easier when they are older. Your first visit is free, and many children will enter an observation phase of free visits until their teeth or jaw is ready to start interceptive orthodontics or braces or Invisalign treatment.
Phase 1 typically runs 9 to 15 months, followed by a resting period while the remaining permanent teeth come in. Phase 2, usually braces or Invisalign, then runs 12 to 24 months. Children who complete Phase 1 often need less time in Phase 2 than they otherwise would have.
Often, no. Only a minority of children benefit from early treatment, and we will say so plainly when waiting is the better option. Phase 1 makes sense for a narrow upper jaw, a significant overbite or underbite, severe crowding, crossbite, or a habit affecting jaw development. If none of those are present, your child simply enters our free observation program until the timing is right.
For most children, waiting costs nothing. For a smaller group, it means a correction that could have been guided by growth instead has to be forced later, sometimes with extractions or, in the most significant cases, jaw surgery in adulthood. The point of the age-seven visit is simply to find out which group your child is in, at no charge.
Ready to learn more?
Reach out to our team with any other questions.
Start your smile transformation today
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Locations
We serve Lincoln and Seward with convenient office hours and experienced teams ready to help.
