Orthodontic treatment can be started at any age. Whether you are 60 or 16 years old it is never too late to start your journey towards a beautiful and healthy smile. Jacaranda Smiles provides orthodontic care for adults, teenagers, and children throughout the Broward County area. Quality orthodontics begin at a young age, which is why our orthodontists offer early treatment evaluations for your children.
Early Orthodontic Treatment
According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), all children should have an initial orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven. Although every child’s mouth is unique, this is typically the age at which children have enough permanent teeth for an accurate evaluation. At this point, your orthodontist can determine if your child will have sufficient room for permanent teeth and detect any orthodontic problems.
Benefits of Early Treatment
An early orthodontic evaluation can help your orthodontist catch misalignment and other orthodontic issues at a young age. If necessary, we can begin planning for treatment immediately. Early evaluation does not necessarily mean your child will receive treatment at a young age. On average, most people begin orthodontic treatment between ages 9-14. An early orthodontic evaluation, however, can help reduce the severity (and cost) of treatment that is put off until a later age.
Additional benefits to receiving early orthodontic treatment include the following:
- Guide permanent teeth into an ideal position while in early stages of development
- Support and assess healthy jawbone development
- Decreases the likelihood of removing permanent teeth to correct overcrowding
- Lower the risk of damage to protruding teeth or buck teeth
- Begin to correct improper bite or misplaced teeth
- Improve facial symmetry
Signs Your Child May Need Orthodontic Treatment
While it is recommended that your child visits an orthodontist by age 7, certain symptoms and habits could indicate that your child needs to see an orthodontist sooner rather than later. Some symptoms of concern include:
- Grinding or clenching teeth
- Thumb sucking for a prolonged period
- Exclusively or mostly breathing through mouth
- Difficulty chewing
- Biting cheeks or roof of mouth
- Early or late loss of teeth
While some of these may be simple habits, they can be indicative of or lead to orthodontic issues if not corrected. If you detect any of the above habits in your child, schedule an appointment with Jacaranda Smiles.
Visit Your Children’s Orthodontist
A straighter, healthier smile for your child is only a phone call away. For more information about early treatment or orthodontic treatments such as braces and Invisalign, please contact our friendly staff. You can also schedule an orthodontic appointment online or stop by our Plantation and Pembroke Pines offices. We look forward to working with you!
When Should I Take My Child to the Orthodontist?
Visiting the orthodontist is critical to assessing the health needs of your child. An orthodontist can help you determine potential developmental problems your child may encounter.
Generally speaking, the earlier you take your child to the orthodontist, the better. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, you should consider scheduling an orthodontic evaluation as soon as you see signs of problems, but you should wait no later than age seven. Let’s take a closer look at why.
The Best Age For the First Orthodontist Visit
An ideal age to visit the best orthodontist in your area is by the time your child turns seven. However, that does not mean you need to worry if your child is age eight or over. You can schedule an appointment to visit the best orthodontist offices today. This appointment can help determine if your child needs orthodontic treatment.
Signs You Should Pay Attention To
While you should aim to make an orthodontist visit by the time your child turns seven, there may be good reason to schedule an appointment much earlier.
As a parent, you’ll want to become familiar with the signs that indicate that you should take your child to the best orthodontist around for an assessment. These signs include thumb sucking that extends beyond the age of three or four. If your child is breathing through their mouth more than their nose, this could also indicate an orthodontic problem. If your child snores while sleeping, you should also consider seeking out an orthodontist for assistance. Likewise, if you notice an overbite or an underbite affecting your child’s bite or if your child’s permanent teeth or crooked or have significant gaps, you should visit the best orthodontist in your community.
Why Bring Your Child Early?
Taking your child to the best orthodontist available at an early age can help reveal issues before they become obvious. For example, a permanent tooth may develop behind a baby tooth and grow in front or behind the baby tooth. An orthodontist can help detect improper jaw development and teeth growth. Since issues like these could result in overcrowding, an underbite, or an overbite, it will benefit your child if they’re caught early. An orthodontist can see early signs of these conditions and others.
Waiting too long to visit the best orthodontist can result in development problems that may require extensive treatment. In some cases, delaying orthodontic visits can have a permanent impact on a young person’s health.
Now that you understand the ideal timeline for the start of orthodontic evaluation and treatment, you can make more informed decisions relating to your child’s health and wellness. For more information on scheduling an appointment for your child, please contact us today.
When Should Your Child First Visit the Orthodontist?
How to Know When is the Right Time?
Knowing whether it is time to take your kid to the orthodontist can be a confusing time and we hope to clarify that with this article.
According to the American Association of Orthodontics, it is recommended that your child has an orthodontics examination by the time they are 7 years old. The reason for this is the by age 7 it is extremely common to have all their 6-year molars and 4 of their permanent anterior (front) teeth; with this in place, your orthodontist can give a very accurate diagnosis.
Benefits of Starting Young
The main benefit of taking your child to see an orthodontist at a young age is that it helps to minimize, or even eliminate more extensive treatment later in life. Additionally, early orthodontic examinations can help ensure proper jaw development and allow for the normal eruption of permanent teeth.
Behaviors That Could Signal Orthodontic Help
If your child experiences any of these, it is a sign that orthodontic treatment will be needed:
- Grinds teeth excessively
- Bites their cheeks and roof of their mouth
- Jaws that appear to far back or forward
- Misplaced Teeth
- Difficulty chewing
- Loses baby teeth to early or late
Contact Jacaranda Smiles
If you have decided it is time for your little one to see the orthodontist, we would love to help. Call Jacaranda Smiles today at (954) 542-9988 or contact us online.