As parents, we always want the best for our children and that includes protecting their smiles. To help ensure your child develops a healthy, beautiful smile, we recommend scheduling an early orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven or sooner if you see warning signs of malocclusion.
Early start orthodontics AKA interceptive orthodontics finds, prevents, and treats alignment issues in children with baby teeth. Some problems in kids are best treated at a young age to prevent issues from getting worse and more expensive to treat down the road.
Dental issues to look out for in kids:
By intercepting early on, your child’s orthodontist focuses on the cause and guides your child’s teeth and jaw growth for a healthy, straight smile.
Early intervention helps prevent more serious problems and dental procedures in the future, such as jaw surgery or teeth extraction.
Early orthodontics uses the most comfortable treatment plan and helps make any future procedures easier, faster, and less expensive.
Early start orthodontic treatment focuses on the growth and development of a young child’s smile, including the teeth and jaw. It’s designed to help kids who still have all or some of their primary teeth. We intercept and prevent improper alignment or growth of adult teeth. The goal is to create your child’s straight, beautiful, and functional smile in the easiest and most efficient way.
A straight smile has the power to change your child’s life by boosting confidence and making hygiene easier.
While braces and aligners help patients of all ages, including kids, teens, and adults, we recommend seeing an orthodontist at a young age.
According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), every child should receive an orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven or earlier if there are signs of crowding, large spacing, or abnormal growth of teeth.
Every child is different, but the first permanent molars typically start to emerge around the age of six, allowing us to understand the basic alignment of your child’s teeth. This helps us determine if there’s enough room for adult teeth and if any monitoring or treatment is required.
The best age for braces depends on the person. While many misalignment issues are treated with braces or aligners once all the permanent teeth erupt, some problems are best treated early during jaw development.
Early start orthodontics helps prevent alignment issues from getting worse or more costly to treat in the future. This is also known as phase one orthodontics and focuses on the development of incoming teeth.
Some cases require phase one and two treatment for kids, but the second part is typically much easier and shorter when combined with phase one. Phase two focuses on the alignment of permanent teeth and is sometimes completed on its own in older children and adults.
Every smile is unique, which means every orthodontic treatment is custom-made. The best time to start your child’s treatment plan depends on the existing issue and the child’s development.
Our orthodontist works closely with you and your child to make treatments easier, less invasive, more effective, and more comfortable through early intervention. Schedule your young child’s first orthodontics visit to ensure you don’t miss an important window of opportunity.
Some signs your child needs braces may be hard to spot, while others are easy to see. An orthodontist recognizes even the most subtle signs that your child needs braces, which is why we recommend scheduling a no-obligation consultation at Amley McEntire Orthodontics in Saint Petersburg, FL today.
Problems to watch out for in children: