The first visit is a look — not the start of braces.
Orthodontics for children and teens in North Richland Hills, TX, directed by a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics since 2007. An early evaluation catches developing bite, growth, and airway concerns while they are simplest to address — and most children who come in are simply monitored.
A first evaluation by age seven.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. Early evaluation is not the same as early treatment — it is the point at which developing problems first become visible.
By seven, enough permanent teeth have come in and enough jaw growth has happened for a specialist to see how the bite is developing. Most children who are evaluated this early need nothing but periodic monitoring. The value is in catching the exceptions before they become harder problems.
The early-evaluation visit here includes the same low-radiation CBCT airway screening every patient receives — so a first look assesses growth, bite, and airway together, not just whether the front teeth are straight.
Early and interceptive, then the full correction.
When treatment is warranted, it is usually staged. An early phase uses a child's active growth; a later phase aligns the full set of adult teeth once they have come in.
Early, interceptive treatment takes advantage of a child's growing facial bones — for example, making room for adult teeth or guiding jaw development. Done at the right moment, an early phase can reduce or remove the need for more involved treatment later.
The later phase begins once the permanent teeth have erupted, applying steady, gentle force to align the full arch, followed by a retainer to hold the result. Not every child needs both phases — many need only one, and some need neither. The staging is decided by what the evaluation shows, not by a default protocol.
The staged approach
A bite problem can be a breathing problem.
Misalignment can narrow or obstruct a child's airway, disrupting sleep in ways that show up as fatigue, focus, and behavioral flags. Screening for it is standard here — since 2020, for every patient.
The way a child's jaw and teeth develop is connected to how they breathe and sleep. Every intake here includes a low-radiation CBCT scan and an AAO airway-screening questionnaire, so structural issues that can be linked to disrupted sleep are caught while the face is still growing and intervention is simplest — not years later.
This is where an early evaluation earns its place. When imaging shows something beyond the orthodontic scope, Dr. Fallah refers to a pediatric ENT. The screening is the value; the referral, when needed, is the correct protocol.
Aligners and remote reviews for a teenage schedule.
Older children and teens are often strong candidates for clear aligners, monitored remotely so treatment fits around school rather than pulling them out of it.
Treatment here is aligner-first. Many teenagers can be treated with discreet, removable clear aligners, with progress reviewed through DentalMonitoring — you scan at home and Dr. Fallah reviews it personally every week, so in-office visits can be spaced further apart. When a specific movement genuinely needs brackets, sectional braces are used as a short, precise step, then set aside.
Explore further
Airway Evaluation
How the CBCT airway screening works and why it shapes every child's treatment plan.
Invisalign®
The aligner-first model in full, from weekly remote reviews to the role of sectional braces.
Disrupted Sleep Quiz
A short screening to see whether your child's sleep patterns warrant an airway-focused evaluation.
Looking for treatment as an adult? See adult orthodontics.
09 — Intake
Begin with an evaluation.
Your first visit at NRH Orthodontics is a full evaluation — CBCT airway screening included — and a treatment plan you understand before you commit to anything.
Accepting new patients — North Richland Hills, TX