When is the best age to take your child to an orthodontist? Address the oral health of your child as early as age 1. Baby teeth emerge four to six months after a baby is born, despite being present prior to their birth.
By the first 12 months, children have begun eating solid foods, making it necessary to prioritize their oral health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 46% of children have dental carries.
The need for oral health cannot be overstated, and limiting yourself or your kids to one dental visit per year isn’t going to cut it. Consider pediatric orthodontics early to help you identify and address dental issues effectively. Learn more about early orthodontic care.
What Is Pediatric Orthodontics
Pediatric orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that explicitly treats dental and facial irregularities in adolescents and children. The branch targets children, and the focus is on kids aged seven to fourteen years.
However, you can start early for better prevention and treatment. The earlier the age your child sees a pediatric orthodontist, the better the outcome of treatment.
Pediatric orthodontists provide a variety of services, including braces for kids. With early treatment, you have more options, including alternatives such as Invisalign. Invisalign is ideal over traditional braces because they are:
- Better at improving oral hygiene
- Fast and affordable
- Discreet and comfortable
Pediatric orthodontists have many certifications to provide different services. For instance, at Woodbury orthodontists, we are a certified Invisalign teen provider.
When Is the Best Time to See a Pediatric Orthodontist
The best age to see a pediatric orthodontist is seven. But you can schedule a consultation even earlier, depending on your kid’s oral health. At the age of seven, your child’s adult molars have developed.
Seeing a pediatric orthodontist at this age helps establish whether all the teeth are perfectly aligned. The orthodontist will inspect your kid’s gums, teeth and jaw structure.
An X-ray may also be necessary to get a clearer view of the dental development. This measure goes a long way in early intervention and prevention.
Benefits of Early Orthodontic Care
According to the National Library of Medicine, orthodontics was the third most sought-after treatment in the United States. The survey was conducted between 2009 and 2013.
Pediatric orthodontics offers numerous benefits, including the following:
Minimizing the Need for Extensive Treatment
Early intervention in pediatric orthodontics enhances teeth function and alignment. Orthodontic treatment can address issues such as spacing, crowding, and misalignment. These issues often become severe as a child grows older.
However, early interventions can fix the problem permanently, eliminating the need for future treatment that may be costly or more invasive.
Enhanced Teeth Function and Alignment
Pediatric orthodontics improves children’s dental health, guaranteeing them a healthy smile. An orthodontist will correct bad oral habits while guiding jaw development and growth.
Such interventions make it much easier to address jaw alignment and size discrepancies. An orthodontist can determine if the teeth are in the right position through examinations. Doing so also enhances your child’s self-esteem as they will grow up with a beautiful smile.
Preventing Future Issues
Early preventive pediatric treatment tackles dental issues proactively. These include matters that may appear minor but get more advanced if left not addressed. For instance, palatal expansion looks into orthodontic problems before they progress.
Preventive orthodontic treatments are cost-effective and eliminate the need for more advanced treatment interventions such as:
- Surgeries
- Tooth extractions
- Extensive orthodontic treatments for children, such as braces
Qualified Eagan orthodontists can give your child a foundation for healthy dental development. Consulting a reputable orthodontist helps you understand the importance of early and proactive interventions.
Signs You Should See a Pediatric Orthodontist
Orthodontics not only helps to improve the visual appeal of your smile. It can also address serious issues that affect your child’s quality of life, such as misalignment and malocclusions. A malocclusion occurs when your kid’s teeth don’t fit together, leading to a misaligned bite.
According to the Global Newswire, between 39% and 93% of teens and children have malocclusion. Malocclusions are often hereditary, so your child will likely have the same if you have it. This is one of the signs you need to see a pediatric orthodontist as early as possible.
Other signs you need to seek pediatric orthodontics are:
- Late or very early loss of baby teeth
- Crowded teeth
- Mouth breathing
- Grinding or clenching of teeth
Protruding teeth are also another clear sign that your child needs pediatric orthodontics. An orthodontist in Eagan is available for a consultation and can examine your child to determine the best intervention.
Early Pediatric Orthodontic Treatment Interventions
Early orthodontic treatment interventions can address dental issues proactively, enhancing aesthetic outcomes and improving the long-term oral health of your child. Space maintainers are one of the interventions used to create enough room for permanent teeth to develop uninterrupted.
Braces for kids are another common intervention designed to address misalignments and malocclusion. Some of the benefits of pediatric braces are:
- Improving speech and chewing function
- Reducing the risk of cavities
- Better alignment
- Eliminating the need for tooth extraction or bone erosion
Invisalign is an excellent alternative if you don’t want traditional braces for adults, teens or children. You can get Invisalign in Woodbury by talking with a certified orthodontist. We can explain Invisalign costs and why they are better than ceramic braces.
The dental intervention your orthodontist selects will depend on your child’s dental needs. As pediatric orthodontists, we have flexible payment options that fit any budget. Our treatment options are affordable and specifically designed for you, from low-down payment to monthly payment or interest-free financing.
Get Pediatric Orthodontics Services Today
Seeing a dentist is a common feature of good oral hygiene for adults. But we often take our kids to the dentist only in an emergency. Children need dentistry and orthodontic care just as much as adults.
Pediatric orthodontics is the key to lifelong dental health as it takes a proactive approach to solving problems while they’re still minor issues. With over 250 years of combined experience, Zirbel Orthodontics offers numerous dental services, from braces and Invisalign to phase 1 treatment. Schedule a free consultation today to check out our services and flexible payment options.
Recent Comments