At What Age Should You See an Orthodontist for Your Child
Providing orthodontic care to your child is more than mere aesthetics. Correcting bite abnormalities is the responsibility of orthodontics that could otherwise put your child at risk of tooth decay, gum disease, TMJ disorders, and tooth loss.
Even when the functionality of the bite is not a problem letting your child have straight, beautiful teeth can increase their self-confidence, which is a significant reason to have orthodontic treatment. You might accept the importance of getting orthodontic treatment for your child but might wonder when is the best time to take your child to the orthodontist near me. This article focuses on the information you seek to tell you when the best time is to take your child to an orthodontist.
Starting Early Is Beneficial
Many people think waiting until your child’s all permanent teeth have emerged is the best time to consider orthodontic treatment for children. In reality, you must think of starting early and schedule a consultation and evaluation much earlier than the emergence of permanent teeth. For example, the dentist in Baltimore, MD, recommends children see orthodontists by the age of seven. Scheduling an appointment with an orthodontist before the permanent teeth have emerged helps you and the orthodontist to work together to develop a comprehensive treatment plan to help prevent alignment issues that occur when the permanent teeth appear. In addition, early evaluation by an orthodontist helps your child receive faster treatment making it budget friendly for you.
Why is age seven considered optimal? When your child is seven, they will have their first set of molars with permanent anterior teeth. These teeth enable the orthodontist in Baltimore, MD, to observe essential points of reference to help determine the eventual bite pattern of your child to decide the course of future treatment.
Unique panoramic x-rays taken during the initial consultation help the dentist in Baltimore, MD, identify children with one or more missing permanent teeth indicating the teeth might never emerge. Orthodontists can also identify problems that might later interfere with normal adult tooth eruption.
Early Interventional Treatment
Visiting the Baltimore orthodontist by age seven ensures your child receives early treatment for issues developing in their mouths. For example, the orthodontist might not recommend braces for your child at a tender age but might suggest alternative therapies to help address problems that might interfere with emerging teeth and alignment. Interventional treatments for children at an early age include spacers or space maintainers to retain open spaces for emerging permanent teeth to guide them into proper positions, palatal expanders to gently widen space in the child’s mouth to prevent crowding at least partially, and removable retainers for appropriate alignment of permanent teeth that have emerged and to promote optimal alignment of the anticipated permanent teeth remaining in the jawbone.
When you see an orthodontist early with your child, you can start planning for any treatment your child needs later, including setting aside funds for the therapy, making it more affordable for you. At the same time, seeing an orthodontist early with your child helps reinforce the importance of caring for their teeth while assisting the child in anticipating additional treatments with braces later.
If you take your child to their pediatric dentist every six months, the professional watches for dental imperfections in the child’s mouth to recommend the need for orthodontic treatment by age seven. They will also refer you to the Baltimore orthodontist to start planning their therapy if they anticipate issues with your child’s teeth.
The interventional treatment gets your child accustomed to visiting orthodontist’s offices frequently to ensure their treatment remains on track. However, even if your child doesn’t require interventional orthodontics, the professionals will suggest an additional evaluation in a year to monitor the development of your child’s teeth, checking for issues that might benefit from early treatments.
Getting orthodontic treatments for your child after they have developed crooked and crowded teeth will cost considerably more than getting an early intervention to prevent issues from developing in children’s mouths. It is why the American Association of orthodontists recommend early assessment at the age of seven children as optimal for their dental health.
Children who receive orthodontic treatment early develop straighter teeth and a beautiful smile. Starting early with the treatment also benefits you financially, making the therapy more affordable than spending considerably higher.
Now that you have a clarification on the age to best see an orthodontist with your child, wouldn’t you want to schedule an appointment with Canton Crossing Dental for an early assessment with your child? We are convinced you will look forward to your discussion with the practice to ensure your child doesn’t develop orthodontic issues with their teeth.