Orthodontic treatment can be used to correct a wide range of dental issues. However, it may be most effective when it can be used to prevent the dental complications before they can appear. This can be accomplished if children can receive the right kind of orthodontic services early enough in their growth and development to make an impact. If you want to know how orthodontic treatments can benefit your child, it is important that your child receives a thorough orthodontic evaluation by the time he or she is seven years old.  

What is Early Orthodontic Treatment?

Orthodontic treatment that is applied early during a child’s dental development uses orthodontic devices to guide the development and growth a child’s jaw bones and teeth so that there can be fewer complications when the adult or permanent teeth emerge. It can produce a favorable outcome that would not be feasible once the jaws and face have completely matured. It may not only stop the development of dental problems, but it can reduce how long your child will have to receive any orthodontic treatment in the future and how complex the treatment would have to be.

After conducting an evaluation of your child’s mouth during the stage in which your child has most of his or her baby teeth, an orthodontist may suggest a course of treatment, such as wearing braces, as a proactive approach to treating dental issues that may be in the initial stages. The next phase of treatment may be more comprehensive and may occur when most of the child’s permanent teeth have emerged. This second course of treatment will likely be shorter than it would be if your child’s teeth had not been provided with an effective early treatment.

Early orthodontic treatment can specifically be used to:

• Direct the growth of the jaw
• Correct how the lips meet
• Guide erupting permanent teeth into a better position
• Reduce the chances of trauma to the front teeth
• Curtail destructive oral habits, such as tongue thrusting or thumb sucking

Know When to Bring Your Child to the Orthodontist

If your child is experiencing any of the following issues, it is important that he or she is examined by a pediatric dentist as soon as possible. The conditions that can be addressed by early treatment can include:

• Premature or late loss of permanent teeth
• Teeth that are crowded, impacted or misplaced
• Difficulty with chewing
• Thumb sucking
• Unbalanced face structure
• Constantly breathing through the mouth
• Biting, grinding or clenching of the teeth
• Front teeth that do not meet properly
• Biting into the roof of the mouth

If you believe your child’s oral health is not what it should be, don’t hesitate to contact us at Wright Smiles Pediatric Dentistry. Our dentists have the tailored dental solutions your child may need.