What Is the Right Time to Get Braces for Your Child? - Dr. Sreejaya
Introduction
Is your child between seven to nine years old? Well, parents, it is time to book an appointment with the orthodontist for your little ones if you see crooked teeth.
As the age-old saying goes, “prevention is better than any cure,” has proven its credibility many a time. Orthodontic treatment can be considered a perfect example of this. Often minor misalignments in children's teeth are neglected because parents might think those are changes in the child while growing and will go back to normal once they grow old. However, not every crooked tooth is a transition stage in the growing child. Some might have an underlying defective growth pattern that will develop into an unseemly malocclusion in the future.?
Now, it is here where orthodontists become heroes. Taking your kid to the orthodontist will help identify the problems at an early stage so that any potential problems can be identified and interrupted even before they arise. In this article, you will know why and when you need to see an orthodontist for your child and make a consultation with one as soon as possible.
Why Should You Take Your Child to an Orthodontist?
Often, minor problems with teeth alignments are not identified by parents at an early stage. Despite good oral hygiene maintenance, the child may develop significant misalignment as they grow. Without good-looking dentition and dental health, the child might lose confidence in speaking and socializing due to discomfort and embarrassment.
However, paying a regular visit to an orthodontist at the right time will help identify the problems at their earliest stage. The orthodontist can decide if at all your child will need orthodontic treatment and, if needed, which device would be the best and when would be the right time. Thus, regular checkups will help save the money you would have to spend on advanced problems that developed due to negligence.
What Is the Right Time to Take Your Child to an Orthodontist?
If your child is seven to nine years old, then it is the perfect time to see an orthodontist. Considering the age, it is too early for braces. However, the orthodontist can identify and interrupt any growth defect in your kid’s teeth, jaws, or bite. If not intercepted at an early age, the defects can worsen, becoming more difficult and expensive to treat.?
Early evaluation of a child’s growth pattern will help the orthodontist determine the relationship between the teeth and jaws. Growth modifications can be performed in children during this early stage when the bones grow. It involves devices and appliances that will prevent and correct the unbalanced growth between the upper and lower jaws.
Some of the appliances used for growth modifications at an early age are
?The appliance will prevent excessive forward growth of the upper jaw. The device is worn indoors and during bedtime.
?The appliance rectifies the altered development of jaw bones when the upper jaw outgrows the lower jaw. The device requires patient cooperation.
?Used in patients with abnormal upper jaw growth. The device needs to be worn full-time.
Visits during frequent intervals will help the orthodontist monitor the child’s pattern of growth and development of the dentition from the very first visit. Follow-up visits will involve orthodontic treatment if required in their teenage. An advantage of comprehensive monitoring is that the orthodontic intervention can be commenced at the right time for your child.
How Will the Orthodontist Determine the Best Age for Braces?
After evaluating your child, the orthodontist will determine the best age to start the treatment based on the severity of the misaligned bite and the cause of the problem.
Most orthodontists believe that extreme deformities of the teeth, like excessive crowding, over-bite, open-bite, and underbite, require early intervention.
In children with early dental issues, treatments should begin between the age of seven to ten years with devices other than braces. Once all the milk teeth have shed and the child has fully grown adult teeth, full braces can be done. It is usually by the age of 11 to 13. Some children might lose their teeth sooner or later, so close attention should be paid.
Conclusion
Every parent has the utmost care for their kid’s teeth and overall health. Making a visit to the orthodontist at regular intervals should be a priority, as they will guide you and your child to develop an awareness and understanding of the importance of preventive and interceptive treatments. Having said that, no matter the severity of the problem, every dental issue can be fixed. However, the earlier you start, the better the outcomes will be.
For more information, you can contact me at https://www.icliniq.com/doctor/dr-sreejaya