Early Orthodontics Parents are always worried about their children. They want them to be healthy and happy children. With regard to orthodontic care, there are some obvious signs that their children might warrant the attention of an orthodontist. If their children have crooked teeth or exhibit an overbite or underbite this can be a strong indicator that they need orthodontic care. Parents who have children in need of orthodontic help always struggle with what age they need to be seen. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children be seen for the first time by an orthodontist between six and seven years old. While that seems young, it is necessary to do the assessment at that time prior to the adult teeth erupting. Braces will not be placed at that time, but a treatment plan will be formulated to move forward. For those parents concerned their children will need orthodontic treatment, they should come into our Jacobsen Pediatric Dentistry office to discuss it and get answers to their questions. Early is BetterMost people realize this but with any medical condition, the earlier the treatment is started the better the outcome. While orthodontic treatment will not start when the child is seven years old, it does allow our staff the ability to follow and track any situation that might warrant treatment later on. It is important to have the evaluation done prior to the eruption of the adult teeth. Once they erupt, any underlying orthodontic condition will be exacerbated and overly complicate the treatment. It will also increase the amount of time necessary to complete the treatment fully. Initial EvaluationsThe evaluation allows us to assess the patient's oral cavity to determine if orthodontic care is necessary. There are other things evaluated as well. The assessment is not just limited to the teeth, tongue, cheeks, and gums. While those are considered important, our staff will also look at the neck, head, and throat. Believe it or not, tooth alignment and jaw alignment can affect both skeletal and muscular development as well as posture and spinal cord. While looking at the oral cavity, staff will examine the front teeth and look to see if the two front teeth protrude further than the rest of the teeth. An overbite occurs when the upper teeth of the patient protrude over the lower teeth. There is also an underbite which occurs when the lower jaw teeth stick out beyond the upper teeth. When all of these conditions are not properly addressed, it can cause unnatural erosion of tooth enamel and wear on the temporomandibular joint. A deep bite can occur when the lower teeth fit completely inside the upper teeth. An open bite is another condition that needs to be addressed. This is where the back teeth touch while biting but the front teeth do not. While this seems like a lot to take in, you are not alone. Why not come see us today so we can get your child started with early orthodontics and address any potential problems we find in the evaluation. We can discuss the options here at our Jacobsen Pediatric Dentistry office. You can also give us a call at (971) 459-2431 for either a phone consultation or to schedule an appointment. |
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