According to the famous classical philosopher Aristotle, "Good habits formed at youth make all the difference." This is true of smiles, with early orthodontic treatment setting up children and teens for beautiful smiles and excellent oral health at present and in the future.
What is early orthodontic care?
Various orthodontic issues may reveal themselves early in children and teens, requiring early orthodontic care. This involves assessing and treating facial and dental anomalies to prevent them from becoming complicated in the future. This way, your child can have a beautiful, healthy smile and grow into a confident, healthy individual.
When should you book your child's first appointment?
From as early as age 7, your child should take an orthodontic assessment. At this age, patterns for more permanent teeth are already apparent, enabling the orthodontist to detect potential issues. If you notice problems with your child before age 7, you should visit the orthodontist sooner.
Why your child might need early orthodontic care
You may notice that your child has a crossbite, which is when their teeth don't align correctly when their mouth is closed. They may also have dental crowding, which is when the teeth do not have enough room and begin to grow in unnatural positions. This can lead to crooked, crowded teeth not lining up correctly.
Other problems include:
Protruding teeth
Underbite
Overbite
Benefits of early orthodontic care for your child
Here are some benefits of early orthodontic care:
Prevents future dental issues
Early orthodontic care sets the stage for preventing future dental issues like dental overcrowding and teeth misalignment, preventing other problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and other issues.
Better self-confidence
A bright, straight smile is essential for building your child's self-esteem. Early orthodontic care can help identify the signs of dental anomalies that your child can grow conscious of and be negatively impacted by, mentally and socially.
By treating these issues, your child's confidence in their smile will grow, and their self-esteem will improve.
Helps with speech
Some early issues with speech, such as slurring and lisping, can result from undiagnosed dental problems. Early orthodontic care can help identify these issues and correct them quickly while they develop.
Better facial development
Problems like underbites and crossbites can negatively impact your developing child's facial structure. Early orthodontic care ensures that their facial and jawbones are well aligned and develop correctly.
Enhances digestion
Straight teeth and an aligned jaw let your child chew their food easily. They'll be able to break the food down into small pieces, which aids digestion.
Early orthodontic treatment can diagnose potential issues, and the steps taken after evaluation can improve digestion for your child.
Reduces teeth grinding
If your child suffers from frequent neck pain and headaches, it could result from teeth grinding caused by unaligned jaws. Such problems can become complicated in later life if not corrected early.
Early orthodontic care can help reduce teeth grinding and improve your child's health for the present and future.
The orthodontic treatment process
First, the orthodontist assesses issues and discusses suitable treatment methods. Depending on your child's condition, braces or Invisalign, or other devices will be recommended.
The orthodontist will create a treatment plan tailored to your child's needs and schedule future appointments to monitor the treatment progress. See a braces timeline for your child’s orthodontic care.
Invest in your child with early orthodontic care in South Brunswick
Do you have concerns about your child's smile or oral health? Take action today to improve the appearance of their smiles, promote better oral health, boost self-esteem, and prevent future complications that may be more difficult or expensive to treat. Book an appointment today.
Комментарии