Welcome to Friday Focus with Dr. “O”. This week’s topic answers the question, “Does Your Child Need Braces?”
There are several signs that a child may need braces and they include mouth breathing, irregular loss of baby teeth, problems biting or chewing, thumb sucking, crowded or misplaced teeth, cheek biting, jaws that are recessed, make sounds, teeth that don’t line up appropriately, overcrowding and even speech difficulties. The fact is orthodontic problems can be avoided if they’re addressed early on.
You’re probably familiar with Ben Franklin’s adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. For many children, that’s what orthodontic treatment means. Detection and prevention during a child’s early years are the best ways to avoid invasive treatments, including the loss of permanent teeth resulting from overcrowding and extraction. It can also help make sure that the child’s oral growth can be effectively manipulated to produce optimum dental and facial aesthetics.
The Best Approach to Orthodontics
About a third of our patients are adults however whether it’s adults or children, we stress non-extraction orthodontics to achieve a wide and beautiful smile. Unfortunately, there are a lot of orthodontists whose approach to treatment requires tooth extraction. At E&S Orthodontics, Your Phoenix Orthodontist, we strongly believe extraction should be last approach to treatment, only performed if absolutely necessary.
Orthodontics and Children – when should treatment begin?
Children should have their first orthodontic exam by as early as the age of 7 and definitely before the age of 9. Permanent teeth typically begin to come in around the time a child is 7 (sometimes as early as 6), which is when orthodontic issues start to become apparent. Early diagnosis by a specialist can help guide facial growth and tooth eruption and prevent more serious problems from developing. Two conditions that call for early intervention are protruding front teeth and crossbites which can cause jaws to grow unevenly. At E&S Orthodontics, our goal is to reduce treatment time and full braces and to provide the best and most stable results that we possibly can.
If you have any questions about your child and orthodontic treatments, feel to give us a call. We also offer a complimentary consultation if you’d like to meet with us in person and receive a detailed evaluation.
