When Should My Child Visit an Orthodontist?

Orange County, CA Orthodontist

If you think your child’s primary teeth seem to be coming in just fine, you may not even consider taking your youngster to an orthodontist. But you might want to rethink that and err on the side of caution. An orthodontist can spot and possibly fend off problems from fully developing or developing at all. These issues may not be detectable without a trained orthodontist’s examination. At John Redmond Orthodontics, we want to help you get your child the best start to oral health as possible.

Why is an Orthodontic Visit Important?

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that parents should take their children for their first orthodontic visit no later than seven years of age. At that tender age, a child’s teeth are still early on in their development. Consequently, this is an excellent time to spot developing issues like crowding, an overbite, or other forms of bite problems.

Furthermore, an early visit to the orthodontist may save you time and money and prevent unnecessary suffering for your young one. That means you may be able to avoid problems that may lead to complicated surgeries or extractions if not addressed early.

What Additional Benefits Can Come From an Early Orthodontic Visit?

By taking your youngster for an early orthodontic visit, some of the things that may be accomplished include:

• Healthy and guided jaw growth
• Aesthetic improvements
• Improved lip positioning
• Lower risk of trauma to teeth from an improper or misaligned bite
• Early correction of potentially detrimental oral habits

Why Does a Healthy Smile and Bite Matter So Much?

Sadly, children can be cruel to other children. They bully and make fun of them and tend to target those who have something wrong with their appearance. Plus, as social media becomes firmly established in their lives, children are becoming more and more conscious about their looks at younger and younger ages. Thus, they may be subjected to more extensive peer scrutiny about the appearance of their mouth and teeth.

If you bring your child for an early visit to John Redmond Orthodontics, we can tell you whether your child will need to be fitted with braces or other orthodontic appliances. We can work to correct any bite problems so that they can have more confidence and self-esteem in their school-age years.

What Options are Available?

There are several options available if your child’s teeth need correction. The orthodontic appliance most people are familiar with is braces. Early intervention with braces helps correct the developmental problems with children’s teeth and jaws. Braces may be necessary for your child if he or she has any of these conditions:

• Spaces between teeth
• Crowded, crooked or misplaced teeth
• Extra teeth or missing teeth
• Protruding teeth
• Difficulty in eating, chewing and biting
• Breathes through his or her mouth more than the nose
• Jaws and teeth are out of proportion with the rest of the face
• Overbite, crossbite, and underbite

Your child’s teeth were designed to last a lifetime. Orthodontic care may help that along. To learn more about how your child can benefit from orthodontics, contact John Redmond Orthodontics to schedule a visit with an experienced Orange County, CA Orthodontist today.