As a parent, orthodontics for children can feel daunting and overwhelming. At Marvel Orthodontics, we’re here to put your worries at ease and help you make the best decisions for your child and their future smile.
Early intervention can reduce the impact of dental problems down the road and reduce the length of treatment in the future, paving the way for a streamlined journey to dental health for your young ones.
If you want your child to be taken care of by a team of orthodontic experts who put care and effective solutions at the heart of their work, make an appointment for a consultation with our specialist orthodontists today.
What Is Early Intervention?
Early orthodontic intervention refers to treatment that is used before all permanent teeth come in. Specialists agree that early orthodontic treatment can be beneficial to some children, helping in three major ways:
- Reducing the severity of growing dental issues
- Reducing treatment length and impact during adolescent years
- Improving self-confidence and image during adolescent years
The timing of treatment is critical and dependent upon several different factors. For example, the type of malocclusion (imperfect bite) is one of the most important deciding factors as to when to start treatment. Patients with a big overjet (overbite) is an indication to start treatment early whilst still during their pubertal growth spurt. While patients with a big underbite tend to have treatment delayed until growth completes.
Estimated treatment time and the nature of malocclusion should also be considered when determining whether early orthodontic treatment is right for your kids.
Why Do Children Need Orthodontics?
Early intervention with orthodontic treatments can help correct many developmental issues associated with the jaw and the teeth. Any child with these conditions may benefit from early orthodontics:
- Crooked, crowded, or misplaced teeth
- Extra teeth/missing teeth
- Spaces between teeth
- Breathing through the mouth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Protruding teeth
- Overbite, underbite, or crossbite
- Thumb sucking habit
If your child faces one or more of these issues, contact our office to learn about how early orthodontic treatment can help.
Benefits of Early Intervention
There are a multitude of benefits that can come from early intervention. From shorter treatment time to speech pattern improvement, here are some of the top benefits of choosing early orthodontic treatment for your children:
- More space for crowded teeth to grow in
- Improved facial and jaw symmetry
- Reduce the risk of breaking or chipping any protruding teeth
- Minimize speech obstruction
- Reduce the need or complexity of further treatment
- Minimises the need for future surgical treatment in severe cases
Types of Treatments
Certain types of orthodontic treatments may work better for your children than others. While specific alignment issues may fare better with traditional braces treatment, other children may require different appliances or methods.
Some types of children’s orthodontics treatments include:
Braces
Braces may be clear or made of metal. They are made up of small brackets adhered to the teeth, an adjustable wire that threads through each bracket.
Orthodontic Appliances
Other orthodontic appliances include plates, expanders, or space maintainers. Depending on your child’s unique orthodontic structure, they may be recommended.
When Should Children Get Orthodontic Treatment?
An Early Start With Children’s Orthodontics
Even though it may seem early, taking your child in to see a specialist orthodontist before all their permanent teeth have completely come in can save you time, money, and stress down the road—not to mention, improve your child’s future smile.
Get an early start and contact our practice today.