Like most people, you’re probably already familiar with the importance of regular dental visits for children, starting at a young age. But did you know that early orthodontic evaluations can be an important part of a child’s oral health, too? That’s why your child should see an orthodontist by age 7 ! In fact, that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child have an orthodontic evaluation by the the age of seven!
If you’re the parent of a younger child, you may be confused by this recommendation since most kids that age still have developing mouths and a large number of baby teeth remaining. When combined with regular growth and development checks, these exams let us catch orthodontic issues in their early stages. This can prevent them from having a negative impact on a child’s teeth and bite later on, giving them the best chance at a lifetime of beautiful, healthy smiles.
Here at Bowen Family Orthodontics, we treat a number of young patients and have seen firsthand how early evaluations, monitoring, and treatment can benefit a child’s oral health. Is your child ready for their first orthodontic appointment? We’d love to meet you both and take a look at how their mouth if developing! During your initial consultation, Dr. Bowen will check for a variety of orthodontic issues. Let’s take a closer look at what they are, and why they matter to your child’s smile.Â
Crowding and spacing
As an experienced orthodontist, Dr. Bowen will be able to tell if a young child is having problems with excessive crowding or spacing. She can also predict if this is likely to be a future issue. Spacing issues can arise if a tooth has been lost prematurely, if one has never developed, or when the teeth are too small or narrow. If crowding is causing a problem, we can often address it by extracting certain primary teeth. In more severe cases, we may choose to use dental arch development and expansion.
Tooth loss and eruption
It’s not unusual for people to underestimate the importance of baby teeth, especially since they all fall out eventually, anyway. However, they are placeholders for our permanent teeth. As such, where they’re located and when they’re lost matters more than you may think.
Primary teeth also tend to fall out in a fairly specific order. If Dr. Bowen notices a significant deviation from this pattern, it could signal that there’s a developmental issue requiring their further attention.
By the time they’re ready for an orthodontic evaluation, most children will have at least four permanent molars and up to four permanent incisors. If your child has any more or less than this, it could indicate that there may be missing, crowded, or extra teeth that require additional monitoring by Dr. Bowen.
Misalignment
Crooked teeth pose several challenges for children. Not only are they more difficult to clean thoroughly, they’re also more susceptible to uneven wear and tear. If left untreated over time, this can compromise the surrounding gum tissue. Eventually, it may even change the shape and position of the gum line. Although we can successfully align teeth at almost any age, getting a head start on correcting certain malocclusions can give your child a head start on a healthy mouth.
Overbite/Overjet
Front teeth that obviously protrude are often seen as a cosmetic concern, but the effects of an overbite pattern go beyond appearances. Patients may experience pain in the jaw, excessive tooth wear, and they can even have trouble with normal speech patterns.
We’ll usually wait until a child’s mouth has matured a bit more before attempting to correct an overbite, but there are still a number of treatment options for reducing the risk of pain and traumatic injury as they grow. These corrective measures can also improve a child’s confidence in their smile.
Underbite
When a child has an underbite, we need to determine whether the malocclusion is caused by problems with the eruption of the teeth or by the relationship of the jaws. This means that we sometimes need to wait until the patient has finished growing to begin comprehensive treatment. However, earlier measures can be taken to help avoid damage to the front teeth and encourage skeletal correction. Underbite patients who receive treatment between the ages of about 7-10 tend to be less likely to need corrective jaw surgery when they are older.Â
Posterior Crossbite
A posterior crossbite can lead to crowding, reduced airway function, and may cause the jaw to shift from one side to the other. Expanding the upper jaw in earlier childhood is more predictable, and also requires less pressure with less invasive appliances. Treating a posterior crossbite can help eliminate shifts in the bite that can lead to asymmetric jaw growth, will reduce crowding, and can also create space for the permanent teeth to erupt. Treatment can even improve the quality of your child’s airway!
Anterior Open Bites
In an anterior open bite, the front teeth do not overlap enough. This often results in poor function along with excessive wear on the back teeth. It can be caused by oral habits such as extended finger or thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, or if a child uses a bottle or pacifier for too long.
In cases like these, our expert team will work with both you and your child to help eliminate any destructive habits early on. This will allow their dental development to continue normally.
Give your child the gift of a beautiful smile with Bowen Family Orthodontics
There’s a lot that goes into an early orthodontic evaluation! Once you understand why we look for the things we do, and how these issues can impact your child’s smile, it’s easy to see why they’re so important. Even if no treatment is indicated for your child, you’ll have peace of mind in knowing our expert team is monitoring their growth and dental development over the years.Â
Bowen Family Orthodontics is dedicated to providing a rewarding and stress-free orthodontic experience to patients of all ages, offering a wide range of orthodontic services for the entire family. If your child is ready for their first orthodontic evaluation, get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation. This is the perfect time to take the first step towards a lifetime of beautiful and healthy smiles!