Little kids look cute with an overbite, lisp, or when sucking their thumb, but children grow into teens and adults who don’t want to stand out because of dental complications. With early orthodontic treatment, they can tend to their alignment before reaching middle school, thanks to Phase 1 orthodontics.
Start Early to Make Positive Changes
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child visit the orthodontist by age 7 or 8, when the mouth and jaw are still growing and malleable. This is the ideal time to make significant changes to dentition and set up young people for easier, faster braces treatment during the tween or teen years.
Whether it’s called “Phase 1 orthodontics” or “early orthodontic treatment,” the goal is the same – to address existing growth or alignment problems and treat them as much as possible before full braces are recommended.
Types of Early Orthodontic Treatment
That first visit with the orthodontist could reveal the child is a good candidate for:
- Palatal expander. A palatal expander widens a narrow upper jaw to create more room for adult teeth to erupt and align properly and minimizes crowded teeth.
- Braces. An expander is often followed by a brief round of partial braces for kids on the front teeth, or braces can be used separately to fix protruding teeth, rotate a tooth, or correct bite problems.
- Tongue crib. This device prevents kids from unconsciously sucking their thumb or fingers which could lead to misalignment or tongue thrusting.
- Retainer. A retainer is a removable or semi-permanent appliance that holds teeth in place after early alignment so they stay where they need to before full braces are placed. A retainer can gently move some teeth in the hopes of avoiding braces.
- Space maintainer. Some kids lose baby teeth too early and there isn’t a permanent tooth in the wings. A space maintainer keeps the gap open to prevent other teeth from shifting to fill the hole.
The Benefits of Braces for Kids
It is smart to go to the orthodontist even if your child hasn’t lost all their baby teeth yet or doesn’t have many loose teeth. This mixed dentition stage is the best time for their mouth to be evaluated. This visit may result in a recommendation to:
- Return in six months for follow-up evaluation. Changes occur quickly. Your child might not need intervention now, but maybe in a year.
- Move forward with minimal treatment. Subtle problems with jaw growth or developing permanent teeth can be corrected with light treatment.
- Get fitted for an appliance. If the orthodontist wants to help your child now, the goal is to prevent intensive orthodontic problems from developing and simplify later braces as a teen.
The limited Phase 1 treatment – about a year or less – corrects bad habits, guides jaw growth, and lowers risk of dental damage while improving a child’s self-esteem. Contact the orthodontic team at Soleil Orthodontics in Woodinville, WA, to find out whether your child needs early orthodontic treatment. Schedule an appointment today.
