We realize the countless benefits that can come when a child visits the orthodontist in the earlier stages of life. This is why our expert team follows the recommendation of The American Association of Orthodontists, which urges all parents to bring their children to be evaluated by a trained orthodontic specialist at the age of 7. Keep in mind that early evaluation is not the same thing as early treatment! Our orthodontists take that opportunity to examine your child’s bite and jaw alignment, which allows them to see if there is any preventative treatment that could reduce the severity or expense of treatment after all the adult teeth have erupted. Most parents who bring their child in for an early evaluation leave the office again happy to know that orthodontic treatment can wait – or won’t be needed at all.
Ultimately, only a trained orthodontic specialist can tell for sure if your child would benefit from early treatment, since many potential problems may not be visibly apparent until prevention is too late. However, if you observe any of the following signs in your child, then we strongly recommend that you bring your child in for an evaluation.
In the cases where preventative orthodontics are recommended, this early treatment can bring about numerous benefits for a child, including…
Even when early orthodontic prevention is not necessary or recommended, early evaluation still allows our orthodontists to monitor your child’s growth patterns and focus on the ideal time to employ braces or orthodontics after all their teeth have erupted. If your child is showing signs of needed orthodontic care or if you’re being referred by your family dentist to visit an orthodontist, please contact our office to schedule your child’s free More Than A Smile Orthodontic Assessment. This complimentary appointment includes a complete exam of your child’s bite and jaw, x-rays, and a comprehensive consultation with our expert during which he will provide his treatment recommendation (if any) as well as the reasons and benefits for it. You and your child have everything to gain and nothing to lose by taking advantage of our free early evaluation package.
