Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment for Young Children
High school used to be the most popular age for taking school photos with a mouth full of braces. Looking through a yearbook, it was rare to find a photo with a braceless smile. Now, kids are starting much younger with their orthodontic treatments and Tri-Cities Orthodontics helps kids as young as seven.
So why do orthodontists help kids that young? By then, your child has enough adult teeth to begin evaluating the jaw and developing teeth to determine the next steps. Going in for just a check-up means an orthodontist can evaluate if treatment is necessary for your child in the future and if there is a problem, they can also recommend early orthodontics treatment before the issue continues. Some problems your child may encounter early include:
Underbite - this occurs when the lower front teeth are in front of the upper front teeth
Crossbite - this occurs when the jaw shifts to one side
Crowded teeth - this occurs when there are too many teeth in a small space in your mouth
Missing or extra teeth
Thumb or finger sucking that affects the jaw or teeth growth
Some of these problems may have resulted from an accident, abnormal swallowing or inherited.
Going in for early orthodontic treatment can help an orthodontist evaluate your child’s mouth and begin treatment which can look different for each child. The orthodontist can recommend a device or appliance used to change the structure of the jaw, move a tooth or teeth around, or even hold a tooth in place with a removable or fixed appliance. If the baby teeth aren’t falling out on their own and causing disruption for growth and development, an extraction may be necessary.
Early treatment may be the best option for a patient if their problem is a serious one if left untreated. At Tri-Cities Orthodontics, no one is too old or too young for orthodontic treatment. We start seeing kids at age 7 to check for early growth problems. Our goal is to prevent development problems, eliminate the source, allow for proper jaw and teeth growth, and give adult teeth the space they need. Waiting until a patient’s permanent teeth have all come in, may take longer for correction and break the bank in the long run.
At Tri-Cities Orthodontic Specialists, we strive to make our patient experience as pleasant as possible whether their concerns be clinical or financial. We want to ensure that our patients are excited about their treatment outcome and relaxed during each visit. Our goal is to meet each patient need to the best of our ability. To give your child the best beautiful smile, visit Tri-Cities Orthodontics and schedule an initial check-up to see if early treatment is necessary.