When Should My Child See an Orthodontist?
Hey Surfsiders! Today we are addressing one of the most common concerns parents have about their kids teeth, BRACES!
At what age should my child see an orthodontist?
For a lot of parents, a trip to an orthodontist is not necessary until their children have completely gotten rid of their baby teeth — which is around the age of 11 or 12. Dental professionals, on the other hand, say a much earlier examinations are recommended. If you’re asking yourself when should my child see an orthodontist, heed the advice of dental professionals and have your child scheduled for an orthodontic examination much earlier than the ages 11 and 12. If you are working with a pediatric dentist like Surfside kids dental, we can perform the exam in any of our Northern California dental offices.
According to the American Association of Orthodontics, you can have your child examined by the time he or she is seven years old, while your child still has some baby teeth and has most likely grown in front adult teeth. It’s okay if your child is still developing other components of his/her oral structure. During this time, pediatric dentists can already identify bite issues that orthodontists can determine the best solution for.
Orthodontists can accurately predict the way kids’ permanent teeth and jaws will develop even while they still have baby teeth; that’s why it’s imperative to have them examine your child at a very young age. They likewise add that even though your child’s baby teeth came out straight, this is no assurance that permanent teeth will come out the same way; there may be underlying problems, such as deep bites, open bites, and crossbites, issues with the relationship of the upper and lower jaw, with tooth crowding. Many of these bite problems may develop due to thumb-sucking, reliance on a binky, and/or other habits. As a parent, you will visually have an idea very early on if your child will need braces. If you are not sure, be sure to schedule a regular check-up with your pediatric dentist to learn how to best manage those habits.
Our skilled pediatric dentists can correctly identify these problems no matter how subtle they are based on a collection of abnormalities such as facial imbalance, speech difficulty, tendency to grind teeth, and others, and can start implementing corrective treatment to prevent potential complicated problems with future adult teeth.
An orthodontic exam will be an advantage for you and your child. It will provide you the opportunity to correct habits that affect the proper development of his/her oral structure. At the same time, if it’s determined that your child will indeed require orthodontic work in the future, you can already start preparing for it financially because braces and other orthodontic treatments most certainly aren’t cheap. At Surfside Kids Dental we offer financing options and payment plans to ease the pain of one lump sum.
An orthodontic exam will not only help ensure a beautiful lifelong smile for your child; it will also assist the proper development of his complete oral structure so he won’t have to deal with discomfort or difficulties in the future. So, when your child turns seven, speak with one of our dentists and inquire about an orthodontic examination.
Catch ya later,
Surfside Kids Staff
