There is a stretch in middle school when a smile starts to feel like a spotlight. Some kids barely notice their teeth shifting, while others watch every school photo and group selfie with a little more dread than the last. Parents in Mount Holly often reach out wondering if their teenager still has time for braces, whether it is too late to start, or if a busy schedule of practices, clubs, and homework leaves any room for orthodontic care at all.
At Purple Tooth Dental, we built our practice around the idea that teens deserve care that fits their real lives, not the other way around. Dr. Jon has spent years treating patients through every stage of childhood, from first visits as toddlers to full orthodontic cases as teenagers, so families never have to start over with a new provider once braces enter the picture.
Teenage jaws and teeth respond to orthodontic treatment in ways that adult mouths simply cannot match. Growth plates are still active during the teen years, which gives us more flexibility to guide how the jaw and bite develop rather than only shifting individual teeth into place. This is one reason so many orthodontic cases are timed around the middle and high school years rather than pushed off until adulthood.
Demand for this kind of care has only grown. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the number of patients in active orthodontic treatment reached an all-time high in 2024, with per-member patient counts higher than at any point in the survey’s history. Teens remain a major part of that population, and starting treatment during these years often means a shorter overall timeline than waiting until the jaw has fully stopped growing. For families weighing timing, that difference alone is often worth an evaluation sooner rather than later.
Every teenager’s mouth develops on its own timeline, but a few common signs tend to show up around the same time. A short evaluation can usually tell us whether treatment makes sense now or whether it is still too early. Some of the most common reasons parents bring a teen in for a consultation include the following.
Some teens have no obvious symptoms at all and simply need a checkup to confirm their bite is developing the way it should. We take a conservative, patient-first approach when it comes to recommending treatment, and we would rather walk a family through what we are watching for than rush into a plan that is not necessary yet. When treatment does make sense, we explain exactly why, using clear language a teenager can actually follow along with.
Being a teenager already comes with enough to manage, so we try to make the orthodontic part of it as painless as possible. Because our office treats both general pediatric dentistry and braces under one roof, families can often combine cleanings, exams, and orthodontic checkups into fewer total visits. That means less time out of class and fewer trips back and forth for busy parents juggling work and after-school schedules.
Our office is also designed with comfort in mind rather than a purely clinical feel. Between the seasonal displays that rotate throughout the year and a waiting area built for families rather than a sterile lobby, teens tend to feel more like they are stopping by somewhere familiar than checking into a medical appointment. Kids who finish a treatment milestone even get to take home a themed yard sign for their front lawn, a small way to celebrate progress that turns a braces checkup into something worth showing off to the neighborhood. Small details like these make a real difference for a patient who may already feel a little self-conscious about needing braces in the first place.
We also walk every family through how treatment actually works before anything begins, from the first exam through the day braces come off. Understanding the full timeline upfront tends to ease a lot of the uncertainty that comes with starting orthodontic care as a teenager, and our current braces options give families a clear starting point for what treatment can look like.
Cost is often the first question parents ask, and we would rather answer it honestly than dance around it. We are in-network with Delta Dental and accept Medicaid, and we also offer financing options and in-house payment plans for families who need to spread out the cost of treatment. We are not in-network with other insurance plans, so we always recommend confirming coverage details before committing to a treatment plan.
We know braces are a real financial decision for most families, not just a scheduling one. That is why our team reviews financing options during the consultation itself, so parents can weigh the full picture before their teen starts treatment.
Dr. Jon completed a pediatric dental residency with additional training in the orthodontics department, and has personally treated more than 500 patients with braces over the course of his career. That background means your teen can get an orthodontic evaluation and general dental care from a provider who already knows their history, rather than being referred out to a separate specialist for every step. You can learn more about Dr. Jon’s background and training directly on our site.
If your teenager is showing signs of crowding, bite issues, or has simply never had an orthodontic evaluation, now is a good time to get on the schedule before the next school year starts. Our team can walk you through what to expect at the first visit, answer questions about insurance and financing, and help you figure out the right timeline for your family. Schedule your teen’s evaluation with Purple Tooth Dental today.
