Learn About The Benefits of Early Orthodontic Intervention for Your Child
Are you concerned about your child’s dental facial development and growth? You’re not alone. There was a time when most parents didn’t begin to think about the need of early orthodontic treatment for their children until the teenage years. Thankfully, that has changed in recent years as we now know that early orthodontic intervention can help identify and correct orthodontic issues early on.
Early orthodontic intervention can help save you both time and money by avoiding more costly and invasive treatment in the future. Keep reading to learn about the importance of early orthodontic treatment and how we can help guide your child’s healthy dental facial growth.
Early Orthodontic Intervention for Jaw Issues
Certain problems can benefit from an earlier approach to orthodontics. Consider, for instance, the relationship between the upper and lower jaws. The upper jaw behaves like a door frame that accepts a door closing into it. If a patient had a small upper jaw which affected the way the lower jaw is able to close into it, the result would be that the patient would develop a cross bite. A unilateral cross bite is one example of a problem we may want to see prior to age seven because those patients can often be treated with a very simple appliance that can correct the width of the upper jaw and allow the lower jaw to re-center itself underneath the upper jaw and contribute to more favorable future growth. Early orthodontic intervention can help correct jaw issues before they progress and become major problems.
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Early Orthodontic Intervention for Tongue Issues
Other patients we might like to see earlier include those who show signs of tongue dysfunction, or patients who may have developed certain unhealthy habits as it relates to their tongue. Sometimes, an orthodontist can intervene by talking with these patients and help convince them to stop a finger habit, for example. If we recognize a tongue pattern problem and are unable to treat it ourselves, we may be able to refer the parent to someone who can appropriately address the problem.
Tongue Dysfunction
Very often, tongue dysfunction can slip through the cracks because, unless it is contributing to an educational deficiency, the school’s speech pathologist will not always want to identify a tongue thrust in that patient. In our practice, we feel that any age at which a parent suspects something wrong is a good age to bring the patient into the office and allow us to make a critical evaluation of anything that may contribute to a poor oral environment. Early orthodontic intervention can help resolve several conditions from early loss of baby teeth, to thumb sucking, overbites, underbites, crossbites and more.
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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 intervention can drastically reduce the amount of treatment that a child needs to undergo during their teen years. As a parent, you may see some indications that your child may benefit from early orthodontic intervention in the way that your child’s smile looks or if they’re complaining of pain in their jaw.
Ultimately, the best way to know if your child would benefit from early orthodontic intervention is to take your child to an experienced Buffalo orthodontist. Orthodontists can take an x-ray and examine your child’s oral health and examine your child and make the determination of whether your child would benefit from early orthodontic intervention. Not all children require early treatment. This is why it is important to seek out the expert advice of an orthodontist who specializes in treating children to determine the best course of action for your child.
If you are interested in helping ensure your child has a healthy and beautiful smile for years to come, schedule a free consultation with our experienced orthodontists serving Western New York.
At Orthodontists Associates of Western New York, our reputation as a leader in orthodontic care is based on one thing… Making a Healthy and Beautiful Smile
Orthodontists Associates of Western New York is proud to offer early orthodontic treatment throughout Buffalo, Lancaster, Olean, Hamburg, Orchard Park, and Dunkirk, New York.
We proudly provide braces and orthodontic solutions for patients of all ages. If you have any further questions or concerns, please call one of our five locations for a free screening for you or your child.
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