Children as young as seven can receive dental and orthodontic care through early orthodontic treatment, sometimes called interceptive treatment. Contrary to popular belief, the American Association of Orthodontists advises that your child have their first checkup with an orthodontist by age seven instead of waiting until they are preteens or teenagers. A children’s orthodontist can start treating your child’s dental problems while permanent teeth erupt if they are more severe than misaligned front teeth.
Most people believe that you should wait until all of your child’s adult teeth have erupted before making an appointment with an orthodontist, but in our experience, this is not the case. We recommend bringing your child in for the first time at 7. While your child may be missing teeth or still have some baby teeth, their permanent molars and incisors will be in, providing orthodontists with a good idea of treatment requirements. With the ability of X-rays to identify hidden teeth, the trained eye should be able to assess the child’s growth and determine the ideal time to start therapy.
The Importance of a Corrected Bite
You may be asking why ensuring a child has a proper bite from the start is essential. There are many causes, one of which is that your child may feel persistent pain due to a misaligned bite. A misaligned bite can also cause additional stress on the jaw and face. If this stress is not managed, it can result in various chronic pain conditions that could have been prevented. Even bruxism, which can erode enamel and result in other problems, can be brought on by an improper bite.
In addition, there is the issue of chewing food. A bad bite can make eating difficult in general. Your child’s inability to thoroughly chew their food raises the risk of choking. In addition, a bad bite can affect the development of your child’s teeth, causing them to come in crooked and crowded. It’s astonishing how many problems you can avoid if you treat a bite right away instead of waiting. With this in mind, you should get your child to the doctor immediately.
Advantages of Early Orthodontic Treatment
- Ensures proper biting and chewing
- Eliminates terrible oral habits like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.
- Prevents or delays the development of skeletal disorders (this is frequently the best option to correct an underbite, severe overbite, crossbite, or other jaw-related issues).
- Directs the development of the jaw
- Creates space to reduce crowding, preventing the development of impacted teeth and enabling permanent teeth to erupt in the best possible position.
- Lowers the possibility of protruding front teeth breaking or chipping.
- Boosts self-esteem and confidence!
- Promotes long-term stability (teeth will remain in place after braces)
- Reduces the requirement for jaw extractions or corrective surgery
- Aids in speaking and breathing
- Creates facial symmetry and enhances the appearance
- Shortens the time and expense of Invisalign or braces treatment for teenagers.
Early intervention may also save the family money in the long run. This is due to the possibility that untreated orthodontic problems would worsen and necessitate more extensive (and costly) treatment.
How Can I Tell If My Child Requires Early Orthodontic Treatment?
When a child’s permanent teeth appear, it is easy for the general public to notice a bad bite. However, there are other indicators that parents should be aware of to determine the need for an orthodontist visit. If you detect any of the following symptoms in your children at an early age, they may benefit from orthodontic treatment for children:
- Early, irregular, or late loss of baby teeth.
- Difficulty or discomfort biting or chewing.
- Mouth breathing.
- Protruding teeth.
- Thumb sucking after the age of five.
- Under- or overbite.
- Crowded, crooked, or misplaced teeth.
- Jaw and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face.
- Difficulties speaking.
- There are significant gaps
- there is pain in the jaws.
Early orthodontic treatment has a lot of advantages. First, your child will be pleased with the treatment’s outcomes and will love their brand-new smile! A straight smile frequently results in greater confidence, which your child can carry throughout life.
Early treatments are available to address any potential issues. In addition, it will improve your child’s oral health and prevent subsequent complications. If the benefits listed have convinced you to begin orthodontic treatment for yourself or your child, and you live in Richmond Hill, Ontario, please call us at ORIS Dental Clinics.
