Benefits of Early Orthodontics
Are you curious about the benefits of early orthodontics? There are many reasons to bring your child into the orthodontist’s office before they hit their teenage years. Here is what you should know about early orthodontic treatment and how it can benefit your child.
Early Orthodontic Treatment Can Reduce Complications in Future
Certain orthodontic conditions can be treated as early as 7 or 8 years old. Although they may not be able to be totally corrected at that time, early orthodontic treatment will guide the growth and development of your children’s jaws and teeth so they will not require orthodontic treatment later in life.
In fact, one of the biggest benefits of early orthodontics is that early orthodontic treatment can drastically reduce the amount of treatment that a child needs to undergo in his/her lifetime. Early treatment and intervention is the key to most orthodontic problems, including the possible complications that may arise later in life. Early intervention is preventive care. You need no explanation why preventive care is a better approach. Most orthodontic problems are much easier to correct sooner rather than later.
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Building A Foundation of Development
Discrepancies in growth and development may exist in the respective widths of the child’s upper and lower jaws. Ideally, the upper jaw accepts the lower jaw like a door frame accepts a door. Additionally, the upper teeth should bite down on the outside of the lower teeth. When biting all the way down, the full length of the lower front teeth should be visible. Furthermore, your child should not bite too deeply over the lower front teeth or have an opening in the front.
The way the bite fits together on the sides is the foundation of our bite. Just like the foundation of a house, it is the most important part of the bite. Even though it is the part nobody sees in the mirror when they smile. The front cusp of the upper molar should fit into the groove of the lower molar so that all the teeth fit together like bricks in a wall.
One of the Main Benefits of Early Orthodontics is Catching Issues Early
The most important relationship between the teeth is the fit of the upper canine tooth between the lower canine and the lower first premolar. This is because when your children shift their jaws from side to side when chewing food, or when they clench or grind at night, they glide off of those teeth and help protect their jaw joints. Not only does the fit matter for aesthetic reasons, but they are also important from a functional point of view.
Learn More About The Benefits of Early Orthodontics
As parents, it is important that you are aware of the signs you should be looking for in your children that precipitate the need for an orthodontic visit. The following are some very common orthodontic problems that children manifest. These can be corrected completely with early intervention. The following sections explain these problems and help you understand what signs you should look out for in your child.
Please call our Buffalo orthodontists today for a free screening for your child and to learn more about the benefits of early orthodontics. We have 5 convenient locations throughout Western New York in Lancaster, Hamburg, Orchard Park, Dunkirk and Olean. Schedule your free consultation today.
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