Good Dental Health Begins Early
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child visit an orthodontist for a checkup no later than 7. This may surprise you because orthodontic treatment is usually associated with adolescence. Though treatment does not necessarily begin at this early age, an examination is very important to ensure maximum dental health for your child. An early examination allows the orthodontist specialist to determine how and when a child's particular problem should be treated for maximum improvement, requiring the least amount of time and providing the greatest benefit. With some patients, early treatment achieves the results that are unattainable once the face and jaws have finished growing.
Benefits of Early Treatment
- Guide the growth of the jaw
- Regulate the width of the upper and lower arches
- Guide incoming permanent teeth into desirable positions
- Lower risk of trauma to protrusive upper front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking
- Reduce or eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems
- Improve personal appearance and self esteem
- Simplify and /or shorten treatment time for later orthodontics
- Reduce the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth
- Preserve or gain space for permanent teeth