There are some dental problems which occur early in your child’s life and require orthodontic attention. The earlier we catch problems with your child’s bite, the simpler they often are to fix. The results are often better than if we wait and require less work. We may not need to keep braces on your child for as long when they are younger, which means less expense for you.

The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends that children visit an orthodontist as soon as their dentist notices that there might be a problem or before they are seven years old. We may not have to do anything at this age other than monitor the child’s mouth; however, if we notice potential problems we can seize the perfect opportunity to start!

You may wonder why the AAO emphasizes age seven. At that age, the first adult molars are coming in and helping establish the back bite. We can then evaluate your child’s bite, both front-to-back and side-to-side. There are many reasons to start treatment early.

Early treatment allows us to do the following:

• Make room for the permanent teeth when there is overcrowding
• Help prevent the development of facial asymmetry
• Reduce trauma when the front teeth are protruding

Also, early treatment may reduce the need to remove permanent teeth and reduces the time patients must wear braces once all of the permanent teeth have come in. The AAO recommends early orthodontic treatment due to several studies which have shown the possible problems:

• Crossbites can result in unfavorable growth and uneven tooth wear.
• Open bites can result in tongue-thrusting habits and speech impediments. While with orthodontic treatment, you may have the following benefits:

We truly believe that orthodontic care is about more than just a pretty smile. We believe that improving your oral health improves your overall health. If you have any questions about orthodontic care, don’t hesitate to contact us today.