Children may sometimes already start to show signs of teeth related problems from a young age. While they are unable to receive certain types of treatment while they are too young, sending them to an orthodontist early can give you a chance to find out if there is any onset of overbite, bad bite, or other kinds of jaw deformities. The earlier such cases are diagnosed, the easier it will be to fix them, while your child’s bones are still soft and before they start to harden in their mid teens.
Benefits Of Early Orthodontic Treatment
It is recommended that when your child is between the ages of eight and 10 years old, they see a specialist orthodontist for an assessment to check if everything is fine with their teeth and jaw structure. By this age, typically the first permanent molars would already have erupted in the mouth, which allows your orthodontist to check if your child is developing malocclusion, sometimes referred to as a “bad bite”. Often, the incisors would also already have started to emerge. With this information, it can be seen if there might be any issues with crowding, deep bites, crossbites, or open bites potentially happening down the line.
There are benefits to early detection of such issues, even though treatment may only begin one to five years after the initial evaluation. The main benefit is that there can be a plan for how to best correct your child’s teeth, at the best time and in the best way. Much of the time, this can also be more cost-effective for you as you do not need to go for more extreme corrective treatments yet when the issue has been prolonged. Also, in some cases the child is spared from physical trauma to their protruding front teeth, as well as emotional distress if they are teased or bullied in school. Finally, overcrowding of the teeth may negatively impact your child’s oral hygiene, and sorting this out early on can help make room for your child’s other teeth to come in.
How To Identify If Your Child Needs To See An Orthodontist
Here is a list of characteristics or behaviors that you can check against to see if your child may need early orthodontic treatment:
- Your child loses their baby teeth before age five
- Your child’s teeth do not meet properly at all when they bite
- The front teeth are protruding out of the mouth
- The front teeth appear crowded (only noticeable at ages seven or eight)
- Mouth breathing and/or snoring at night
- Your child has difficulties biting or chewing their food
- Your child has a speech impediment
- The jaw shifts when your child opens or closes the mouth
- Thumb or finger sucking behavior when your child is older than five years
Without a doubt it is beneficial for your child to see an orthodontist soon if they do exhibit any of the above symptoms. Visit Dr Alex in NYC for specialized attention for your child’s teeth. Dr Alex is a highly trusted dentist with positive testimonials from previous customers, and one of them could be you. Contact Dr Alex today!