01 Braces for Kids
✓ Medically reviewed by Dr. Neel Bhatavadekar, Periodontist & Implantologist
Braces for kids refers to early orthodontic evaluation and, where genuinely useful, interceptive treatment, typically starting around age 7, aimed at guiding jaw growth and creating space while the jaw is still developing.
At Clarus Dental Specialities in Koregaon Park, early orthodontic evaluation is planned and delivered directly by Dr. Neel Bhatavadekar, Pune's only US Board Certified Periodontist and Implantologist.
Patients usually choose this for: early crowding or a narrow arch a noticeable crossbite thumb-sucking affecting growth an orthodontist's evaluation around age 7
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Concerned about your child's bite or jaw development? Call to confirm.
Quick answer: Braces for kids refers to early orthodontic evaluation and, in specific cases, interceptive (Phase 1) treatment, typically starting around age 7, aimed at guiding jaw growth and creating space while the jaw is still developing. This is different from general braces for aligning already-erupted permanent teeth. Many children evaluated at this age are simply monitored rather than treated immediately. In Koregaon Park, Pune, early orthodontic evaluation is provided directly by Dr. Neel Bhatavadekar, a US Board Certified Periodontist and Implantologist.
Before You Book
But if you want treatment backed by science and done by a US Board Certified Specialist, you're in the right chair.
02 Overview
Early orthodontic evaluation is about timing: catching genuine growth-guidance opportunities while a child's jaw is still developing, opportunities that close once growth is mostly complete. This is a different purpose from general braces treatment, which focuses on aligning permanent teeth that have already erupted.
The general guidance to have a first orthodontic evaluation around age 7 isn't a recommendation to start braces at that age, it's about identifying whether a growth-guidance opportunity genuinely exists, such as a significant crossbite, a very narrow arch, or a habit affecting jaw development.
Many children evaluated at this age don't need active treatment yet, they're simply monitored periodically until enough permanent teeth have erupted for standard braces to make more sense, if they're needed at all.
03 Candidacy
Interceptive treatment is reserved for specific growth-related concerns, not applied broadly.
04 Background
The general recommendation to evaluate around age 7 comes from wanting to catch real growth-guidance opportunities while they still exist, not from an assumption that every child that age needs braces.
In practice, a large share of early evaluations conclude with monitoring rather than active treatment, the child's bite and arch development are simply watched at intervals until it's clearer whether treatment will genuinely help.
When interceptive treatment is recommended, it's because addressing a specific issue now, while the jaw is still growing, is expected to make a real difference that waiting would lose.
05 Options
What happens after evaluation depends entirely on what's actually found.
Periodic check-ins to track jaw and bite development without starting active treatment yet.
Active appliances used to guide jaw growth or create space while it's still developing.
Space maintainers used together with growth-guidance treatment when a baby tooth has also been lost early.
06 Procedure
The child's bite, arch, and jaw development are evaluated relative to their age and growth stage.
An honest recommendation is made based on what's actually found, not a default toward treatment.
A growth-guidance appliance is fitted and explained clearly to both parent and child.
Regular visits track progress and make any needed adjustments.
A plan is set for whether and when further orthodontic treatment may be needed as permanent teeth continue erupting.
07 Cost Factors
Cost depends on individual case factors and is discussed only after examination, once the following are known:
A specific estimate is only meaningful after a clinical evaluation. This section is informational and is not a quotation.
If early treatment has already been recommended for your child elsewhere, Dr. Neel is available to review the case and confirm whether active treatment now is genuinely warranted.
08 What to Expect
Mild discomfort as your child gets used to wearing any appliance is normal for the first few days.
Regular check-ins track how growth and the bite are progressing.
Permanent teeth continue coming in during and after this phase.
A later evaluation determines whether further braces are needed once more permanent teeth have erupted.
09 Limits
Being upfront about the trade-offs matters:
10 Your Visit
Your child's first visit includes a gentle examination of their bite, arch, and jaw development, followed by an honest recommendation, monitoring, active treatment, or simply watching and reassessing later.
11 Why This Clinic
BDS (Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai) · Postgraduate periodontology training, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA · Diplomate, American Board of Periodontology (2008) · ITI Fellow, International Team for Implantology (2009)
Guiding jaw growth safely means understanding the bone and tissue beneath it, which is where Dr. Neel's background as Pune's only US Board Certified Periodontist and Implantologist, one of only two in India, adds real value to early orthodontic decisions.
Active treatment is recommended only when it's genuinely warranted.
Periodontal training informs how jaw growth guidance is approached.
What happens as more permanent teeth erupt is explained from the start.
The only dental clinic in Pune listed by the US Consulate Mumbai.
Patients can also read independent reviews on Google and Practo.
12 Visit Us
This dentist and dental clinic in Koregaon Park also treats patients from nearby areas of Pune. See the full Koregaon Park clinic page →
13 International Patients
Clarus Dental Specialities is the only dental clinic in Pune listed by the US Consulate Mumbai, and Dr. Neel holds a dual US-India dental license, giving NRI and overseas patients confidence in the standard of cosmetic dental care available here.
For families visiting Pune, an initial evaluation can be completed in a single visit, with a clear plan for either monitoring remotely or scheduling further visits during future trips.
14 FAQ
A general guideline is around age 7, mainly to check for growth-guidance opportunities that are easier to address early.
Not necessarily, early treatment addresses specific growth issues, standard braces may still be needed once more permanent teeth erupt.
Early, targeted treatment aimed at guiding jaw growth or creating space while a child's jaw is still developing.
Mild discomfort adjusting to an appliance is normal initially, it typically settles within a few days.
It varies by case, generally lasting several months to around a year, discussed specifically for your child.
They're simply monitored at periodic visits until it's clearer whether or when treatment would help.
Yes, prolonged thumb-sucking can affect jaw and bite development, and is one of the things evaluated at an early visit.
1. Clinical literature and guidelines on the timing of early orthodontic evaluation, indexed on PubMed Central. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc
2. Dr. Neel Bhatavadekar's peer-reviewed publications, indexed on PubMed. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Call or WhatsApp the clinic directly to ask questions or set up a cosmetic dentistry consultation with Dr. Neel Bhatavadekar.
This page provides general dental information and does not constitute a diagnosis, treatment plan, or medical advice. Outcomes vary by individual case. No specific results, costs, or timelines are guaranteed. Please consult Dr. Neel Bhatavadekar or a qualified specialist for advice specific to your condition.
