It is recommended that children exhibiting orthodontic issues are seen no later than age 7 for their first evaluation. The American Association of Orthodontists and the caring team at Kelowna Orthodontics agree. While orthodontic treatment is rarely necessary at that young of an age, it is the perfect time to address certain jaw growth problems or specific tooth eruption abnormalities. Early interceptive treatment can positively ensure the best outcome with the least expense and time in treatment. In many cases, early treatment can help the patient avoid some expensive and complex orthodontic treatments in the future.
If any of the following symptoms of common dental problems are being experienced by your child, we recommend making an appointment to discover if they are a candidate for interceptive orthodontics.
- Problems touching their front or back teeth.
- Difficulties biting or chewing their food.
- Abnormal contact between the back or front teeth while biting.
- They lost their baby teeth excessively early or extremely late.
- They are “mouth-breathers,” tending to breathe mostly through their mouth as opposed to their nose.
- They have misplaced, crooked, blocked, or crowded teeth.
- They have a thumb-sucking or finger-sucking habit after four years old.
- There is a shift of their jaws or their bite when they bite together.
- Their front teeth protrude.
- Their upper teeth totally cover their lower front teeth in an overbite.
- The jaws and teeth are not in proportion with the rest of their facial features.
Interceptive, early treatments can significantly help with certain results such as:
- Saving space for teeth that haven’t erupted yet.
- Add width to the lower or upper arches to eliminate crowding.
- Establish extra room for new adult teeth.
- Minimize the chance of trauma to any protruding teeth.
- Improving and correcting minor speech issues.
- Encouraging jaw growth to establish facial symmetry.
- Eliminate the chance of possible tooth extractions of adult teeth later on.
- Lessening treatment time for braces.
- Stopping thumb and finger sucking.
Untreated malocclusions can create a host of dental issues according to studies completed by the American Association of Orthodontists.
- Open-bites can be responsible for eating problems, tongue-thrusting, and speech impediments.
- Over-jet affected teeth are more likely to experience accidental trauma.
- Crowded teeth provide a host of hiding places for dental bacteria. They present a much trickier surface area for brushing and flossing, contributing to greater instances of tooth decay and gum disease.
- Uneven tooth wear, enamel damage and undesirable growth can occur with crossbites and overbites.
- Misaligned or crowded teeth along with excessive overjet (“bucked teeth”) or underbite can have a negative impact on a young patient’s developing self-esteem.
- Bucked teeth or crowded, misaligned teeth with a visible underbite or overjet can negatively affect a person’s self-esteem at any age.
Orthodontic treatments can help align your bite and teeth while helping to build your perfect smile – it can also improve your overall health.
Orthodontic therapy can deliver a straight, healthy smile, leading to improved physical and mental health and well-being.
To find out if your child would benefit from early orthodontic treatment, please call our office to schedule a free orthodontic consultation.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free orthodontic consultation for your child. We look forward to meeting with you at your earliest convenience.