St. Peters & Wentzville Family Orthodontics
Serving Children, Teens & Adults
Here at Humphrey Orthodontics, we believe everyone around St. Charles County should have the opportunity quality orthodontic care and a beautiful straight smile.
We’re proud to offer a full range of orthodontics for children, teens, and adults at our St. Peters and Wentzville offices.
Choose Your Braces
At Humphrey Orthodontics, we offer a variety of orthodontic appliances to choose from, both fixed and removable.
These options include:
- Invisalign
- Invisalign for Teens
- Traditional metal braces
- Gold braces
- Clear ceramic braces
Why Should You Think About Orthodontic Treatment?
Straight Teeth Are Healthy Teeth
When your teeth are correctly aligned, it’s easier to keep them clean by flossing and brushing. This helps prevent other oral issues, including some that can affect your overall health.
A Straight Smile Builds Confidence & Self-Esteem
Successfully completed orthodontic treatment can help boost your self-confidence, give you a better quality of life, and allow you to smile freely for maybe the first time ever.
Untreated Oral Issues Will Get Worse
Delaying or refusing orthodontic treatment when you need it can create long-term health issues that will wind up costing you more in the end.
Humphrey Orthodontics understands that teens, kids and adults will all have different dental needs, requiring different kinds of care and attention.
We’ll work diligently with you to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment in the most inviting environment.
Orthodontics for Children
As a parent in St. Peters or Wentzville, you want the best for your child. That includes healthy teeth and a pleasing smile. Dr. Humphrey will treat your children like our own by giving them the best possible orthodontic care.
Kids Should Get an Orthodontic Check-Up By 7
By age seven, your child's teeth have developed enough for Dr. Humphrey to spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth before all of your child’s baby teeth are lost.
This check-up may reveal that your child's bite is fine, and braces for kids aren't necessary.
Or, Dr. Humphrey may identify a developing problem but recommend monitoring your child's growth and development, and then, if indicated, begin treatment at the appropriate time for your child.
In other cases, Dr. Humphrey might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment.
What Is Early Treatment?
Early treatment may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated.
In some cases, Dr. Humphrey can achieve results that may not be possible once your child’s face and jaws have finished growing.
Signs the Bite's Not Right
It's not always easy to tell when your child may need braces or has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a problem bite.
Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
- Protruding teeth
- Breathing through the mouth
- Thumb-sucking
- Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
- Jaws that are too far forward or back
- Upper and lower teeth that don't meet, or meet in an abnormal way
- An unbalanced facial appearance
- Grinding or clenching of the teeth
Choosing the Best Time for Treatment
While the age that kids get braces may vary, orthodontic treatment most often begins between 9 and 14. Some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they’re treated early.
If Dr. Humphrey thinks your child will need treatment, he’ll let you know when it will be best to begin treatment. This gives your orthodontist the best chance to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits
- Improve appearance and self-esteem in your child
- Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
- Create a more pleasing arrangement of teeth, lips and face
Learn More at Your Free Consultation
If your child has a dental issue, please contact us by setting up a free consultation at our St. Peters or Wentzville office.
We can talk about your child's orthodontic options and develop a treatment plan customized to your child's needs.
Orthodontics for Teens
The teen years (between the ages of 12 and 16) are the most common time for orthodontic treatment because most permanent teeth are in place.
Invest in Your Teen
This is a great age range for experienced orthodontists like Dr. Humphrey to easily recognize spacing issues, crowding, and bite and alignment problems.
Your teen’s bone and jaw structure are formed enough to allow orthodontic treatment to begin.
Some teens may have even started Phase I treatment at an earlier age and are now following it up with full braces or other orthodontic treatment.
Choose Your Look
While creating a customized treatment plan for your teen, we might recommend an orthodontic appliance.
Here at Humphrey Orthodontics, we offer:
Benefits of a Straight Smile
Straight teeth that respond well to orthodontic treatment at Humphrey Orthodontics include many benefits for your teen, including:
- Easier to keep clean, helping to prevent tooth decay and cavities
- Less prone to wear and tear, chipping, and tooth trauma
- Reducing the chances of developing gum disease, which can result in bone loss, decay, and tooth loss
- Improving proper chewing and digestion of food
Bad Bites
Allowing Dr. Humphrey to diagnose and treat certain bite problems can give your teen short-term and long-term benefits. Problems classified as “bad bites” can often be minimized with the proper orthodontic treatment, including:
- Missing or extra teeth
- Crooked or crowded teeth
- Incorrect jaw position
- An overbite or underbite
- A disorder of the jaw joint
FAQs About Teen Orthodontics
Make an Investment in Your Teen’s Smile Today
Orthodontic treatment at Humphrey Orthodontics creates an investment in your child’s future. By scheduling a free consultation, Dr. Humphrey will be happy to discuss the benefits of treatment with both of you, as well as any of the risks with putting off or skipping treatment.
Although we see adults around Wentzville and St. Peters successfully complete orthodontic treatment, a teen’s jaws and teeth can respond quicker to orthodontic treatment, shortening their total treatment time.
Orthodontics for Adults
It’s Never Too Late
for a Confident Smile
Orthodontic treatment isn’t just for children and teens. In fact, one in every five Humphrey Orthodontics patients is over the age of 21.
Your smile is the first thing other people around St. Peters and Wentzville notice about you. Do you love yours?
You’re never too old to benefit from orthodontic treatment at Humphrey Orthodontics.
Reasons for Adult Orthodontics
You may not believe it, but at our St. Peters and Wentzville offices, adults make up about one in every five orthodontic patients.
Here’s why you should consider orthodontic treatment at Humphrey Orthodontics:
Looking Good
Orthodontic treatment can help correct crooked teeth or spaces that you’ve been self-conscious about for years.
Straight teeth and a great smile can give you the confidence and pride you’ve always wanted.
Maintaining Dental Health
If you leave misaligned teeth untreated, you may end up with other dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease.
You may also notice abnormal wear on the surface of your teeth or that it’s difficult to chew normally.
Your Teeth Can Shift
Believe it or not, your teeth don’t stop moving in adolescence. Teeth that seemed straight and aligned in youth could have shifted later in life.
This can lead to jaw pain, trouble brushing, or a smile you’re unhappy with.
FAQs About Adult Orthodontics
Get Started
Start your journey towards a healthy new smile today and schedule your free consultation with Dr. Humphrey.
Let's talk about your orthodontic options and develop a treatment plan customized to your needs and smile goals.