Most adult teeth are in
By the early teens the baby teeth are usually gone and the second molars are arriving, so every tooth can be aligned in one course rather than waiting for late teeth to come through.
Teen orthodontics
Orthodontist for Teenagers in Dubai
The early teens are often a good time to straighten teeth: most adult teeth are through and the jaws are still growing. The plan also has to work with school, sport and a teenager's routine.
- Two specialist orthodontists
- Fixed braces or Invisalign
- Open daily 10:00–20:00
Please come with your teenager: the specialist explains the options to both of you before anything is decided.
Timed to growthTreatment starts when it will do the most good, not on a set birthday.
Quick answer
When should a teenager see an orthodontist?
Most comprehensive orthodontic treatment starts at around 11 to 14, once most adult teeth are through and while the jaws are still growing, which can help with some bite problems. At Creative Arts in Dubai, a specialist orthodontist assesses your teenager's teeth, bite and stage of growth, then explains whether fixed braces or Invisalign clear aligners suit both the case and your teenager's routine.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
Written planItemised treatment plan before you commit
Open daily10:00–20:00, seven days a week
Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
Timing
Why are the teenage years often the right time for orthodontics?
There is no single right birthday. The orthodontist looks at which teeth are through and how much growth is left.
Growth can be put to work
When the lower jaw sits behind the upper, part of the correction can come from normal growth during treatment. The growth spurt tends to come earlier in girls than in boys, which is one reason timing is individual. After growth ends, the same problem may need camouflage or surgery.
Late or missing canines are caught
Upper canines that have not appeared on time are checked on an X-ray. An impacted canine may need a minor surgical exposure so the orthodontist can guide it into place.
Not every teen needs treatment
Mild irregularities that do not affect the bite can simply be monitored. Children under about ten are seen for an early orthodontic assessment instead.
At a glance
Teen orthodontics at Creative Arts in brief
- Who treats your teenager
- Specialist orthodontists Dr. Muhannad Kazzaz and Dr. Valeriia Kozachenko
- Usual starting age
- Around 11–14, depending on tooth development and growth
- Appliances
- Fixed (metal) braces or, for suitable cases, Invisalign clear aligners; elastics or expanders where the bite needs them
- Typical length
- Usually 12–24 months; simpler cases shorter, bite corrections longer
- Review visits
- Every few weeks while treatment is active
- After treatment
- Retainers, worn as instructed for the long term
- Where
- 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Dubai — open daily 10:00–20:00
Choosing an appliance
Braces or aligners for a teenager: what matters most?
For teenagers the deciding question is often not which appliance moves teeth better, but which one will actually be used as prescribed.
| Fixed (metal) braces | Invisalign clear aligners | |
|---|---|---|
| Depends on the teenager | Works all day without being remembered | Only works when worn about 20–22 hours a day |
| Forgotten or lost | Cannot be left at home | Trays left in a lunchbox or lost delay treatment |
| Food | Avoid hard and sticky snacks that break brackets | Trays out to eat; no food restrictions |
| Brushing | Harder; plaque collects around brackets | Easier, but teeth must be brushed before trays go back in |
| Sport | A mouthguard that fits over braces for contact sports | Trays are not a mouthguard; ask what to wear for sport |
| Bite corrections | Very versatile, often with elastics | Suitable for many cases, with elastics if needed |
More on aligners for this age group: Invisalign for teens. Full comparison: Invisalign vs braces.
Teamwork
Who does what during teen orthodontic treatment?
Teen treatment goes well when everyone knows their part. Most delays come from the same few things: missed elastics, aligners left out, broken brackets and plaque around the brackets.
- Your teenager: brushes around every bracket or before trays go back in, wears elastics or aligners as told, and avoids the snacks that break brackets.
- Parent or guardian: keeps appointments on track, checks wear time without turning it into a daily battle, and calls the clinic when something breaks.
- The orthodontist: adjusts the appliance, checks progress against the plan and says early if hygiene or wear time is slipping.
A parent or guardian should come to the consultation, because the decisions and consent involve both of you.
Everyday life
Sport, music and school days with braces or aligners
Braces rarely stop a teenager doing anything. A few habits keep the appliance intact and the treatment on schedule.
Contact sports
Football, rugby, basketball and martial arts carry a risk of knocks to the mouth. Wear a mouthguard that fits over braces; ask your orthodontist which type suits the stage of treatment.
Wind and brass instruments
Playing usually feels different for the first week or two as the lips adapt. Orthodontic wax over the front brackets helps, and most players adjust.
A school-bag kit
A travel toothbrush, interdental brushes, wax and, for aligners, the case. Most problems at school are a poking wire or a tray with nowhere safe to go.
When something breaks
A loose bracket or poking wire is rarely urgent. Cover it with wax and call during opening hours — see braces emergencies.
Is it needed?
Signs a teenager should see an orthodontist
Some problems are mostly about appearance; others affect how the teeth meet. Both are worth an assessment.
Worth an assessment
- Crowded, overlapping or rotated teeth that are hard to clean
- Upper front teeth that stick out and could be injured in a fall
- Front teeth that do not meet, or lower teeth biting into the gum behind the upper teeth
- Teeth that bite on the wrong side, or a jaw that shifts on closing
- An adult canine that has not appeared by the early teens
Usually not a reason to delay
- Waiting for wisdom teeth — they do not decide when treatment starts
- A busy school year — visits are short and spaced several weeks apart
- Worry about pain — teeth usually ache for a few days after fitting or adjustments, see do braces hurt?
The most avoidable problem in teen orthodontics
White chalky marks around brackets come from plaque left on the enamel for weeks, often combined with sugary or fizzy drinks between meals. They are largely preventable with brushing after meals, interdental brushes and regular professional cleaning with braces. See also what you can eat with braces.
Who treats you
Specialist orthodontists who treat teenagers here
Every teenager's case is diagnosed and planned by one of our two specialist orthodontists, who also see them at review visits.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Is 16 or 17 too late for teen orthodontic treatment?
No. Teeth can be straightened at any age, and many 16- and 17-year-olds are treated successfully. What changes is growth: by the late teens there is usually less jaw growth left to help with some bite corrections, so those cases may need a different approach. The orthodontist explains what that means for your teenager.
Can my teenager have Invisalign instead of braces?
Often, if the case suits aligners and your teenager will wear them about 20–22 hours a day. Aligners only move teeth while they are in the mouth, so wear time decides the result. The orthodontist will say honestly if fixed braces would be more predictable. More on Invisalign for teens.
Can teenagers play football or other contact sports with braces?
Yes. A mouthguard is advised for contact sports at any time, and it matters more with braces because a knock can push the lips against the brackets. Your orthodontist will advise which mouthguard is suitable during treatment. Aligner trays are not designed to protect the teeth from impact.
Will my teenager need teeth taken out for braces?
Sometimes, but not routinely. When crowding is severe or the front teeth stick out a lot, removing two or four premolars can create the space needed. Many teen cases are treated without extractions. The decision comes from the diagnosis, and the orthodontist explains the reasons and alternatives before anything is removed.
How often does a teenager with braces need orthodontic appointments?
Usually every few weeks while braces are on, for adjustments and checks, and at regular intervals with aligners. Visits are typically short. The clinic is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00, which can make it easier to plan visits around school, although appointment times depend on availability.
What happens if my teenager does not wear their elastics or aligners?
Treatment slows down or stops working. Elastics move the bite only while they are on, and aligners only while they are worn. Repeatedly skipped wear can mean longer treatment, extra aligners or a change to fixed braces. The orthodontist tracks progress at each visit and raises it early if wear time is slipping.
Do wisdom teeth make a teenager's teeth crooked again after braces?
Research does not support wisdom teeth as the main cause. Teeth shift slowly throughout life whether or not wisdom teeth are present, which is why retainers matter. Wisdom teeth are removed for their own reasons, such as impaction, decay or gum problems — see wisdom tooth removal — not to protect straight teeth.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
BracesFixed bracesHow braces work for teenagers and adults.AlignersInvisalign for teensWear time, school, sport and when braces are better.ChildrenChildren's orthodontic assessmentThe first specialist check, around age seven.HygieneTeeth cleaning with bracesKeeping enamel and gums healthy during treatment.GuideEating with bracesFoods to choose and avoid while teeth move.OrthodonticsOrthodontist in DubaiAll orthodontic treatments with our specialist orthodontists.
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- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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