So your teenager has teeth perfect for a starring role in a monster movie. Besides the teeth being discolored, your teen is embarrassed because some teeth have gotten chipped when falling off a bike. You hear your teen screaming into the mirror before school because of that and the large gap between those two front teeth. Every morning you look at that sad face and wonder what you can do to help.



First thing you do is call an orthodontist and make an appointment for your teen. Cosmetic surgery is very common and can be more affordable than you may think. Most orthodontists have payment plans to help parents like you.

Your teen may seem a little bit skeptical at first about going to see an orthodontist, but that will soon turn into excitement. Orthodontists will show your teen before and after pictures of others who have had cosmetic changes made to their teeth. When your teen sees those shiny healthy looking teeth on other teens, they will know their solution is close at hands and future mornings will be a happier time for both of you.

Just getting your teen's teeth professionally cleaned and whitened will be an encouragement. What about that unsightly gap between the two front teeth? The orthodontist can put a crown there that will solve that problem. Wouldn't it have been great if there had been that option for you when you were younger? If you still have that gap yourself, the orthodontist can fix you up too.

Are your teen's teeth crooked? Although it isn't cheap to get braces, it is definitely worth the cost. There are even braces that are invisible so your teen won't be complaining about how they look. These braces are made of plastic and do not have all those wires like the traditional ones.

In the past, braces were something that only children got. It is very common now for adults to get braces. Since the invention of invisible braces, more adults are finding braces to be an option that will not embarrass them at work. How would that change your life? You might end up getting that raise you have been wanting!

There are braces that can be removed at night. These invisible braces take less of your time at the orthodontist, too. That is another advantage. They do require some adjustment periodically which is common with all braces.

Of course, there are the typical or traditional metal braces which are the least expensive of all the types of braces. Your teen would probably not prefer this choice because of the reaction of other teens.

Another type of braces is called ceramic braces which are made the same color as the person's teeth so they don't show up like the metal ones. However, ceramic braces do discolor in time from such things as coffee or tea.

During the consultation with the orthodontist, payment plans will be discussed as well as what the best options are for your teen's new smile. Some procedures may even be covered by your family's medical health plan. This would depend on whether or not the problems with your teen's teeth are causing health problems. Isn't it awesome to have so many choices because of modern technology?