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Orthodontics for Children
The American Dental Association recommends that a child's first dental visit be at two years of age. Similarly, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that the proper age for a child's first visit to the orthodontic specialist is seven years, if the parents, the family dentist or physician notes a problem. By this age, the first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in, and crossbites, crowding and other subtle bite problems can be evaluated. Even if a problem is detected, we may not recommend immediate treatment. We may simply check your child periodically while the permanent teeth erupt and the jaws and face continue to grow, until the best window of opportunity for treatment will start. However, if there is a problem that necessitates early intervention, we will immediately recommend treatment.
Done at the right time and usually kept simple and short (six to twelve months), early treatment may give us the chance to:
- gain space for permanent teeth avoiding impactions and the need for tooth extractions,
- guide jaw growth (in underbites or overbites),
- lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth,
- correct harmful oral habits, like finger or lip sucking,
- guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position,
- correct the width of the upper and lower dental arches, and
- improve overall appearance.
In other words, this limited treatment (expanders, headgear, spaced maintainers, habit correctors and partial braces) may prevent more serious problems from developing and can simplify or eliminate the need for later treatment.
Following are some common types of appliances used at this age:
Palatal Expansion Appliance
This appliance, fixed or removable, can widen the upper jaw to allow more room for the upper teeth and create a broader smile. This is usually used on patients with a crossbite or a narrow upper jaw.
Lip Bumper
This removable appliance is used to widen the lower dental arch to make more room for the eruption of adult teeth. It consists of an archwire mounted in some special tubes and bands on your lower jaw and a piece of plastic that rests against your lips.
Space Maintainer
This fixed appliance can maintain arch length and potentially avoid unnecessary removal of adult teeth, for patients who have moderate crowding of the lower front teeth.
For your peace of mind, if your child is over age seven, give us a call to schedule his or her first COMPLIMENTARY orthodontic consultation.
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