It may look like everything is great with your child’s teeth, but there could be plenty happening that only an orthodontist can identify as problematic for the future. The recommended age for a child to visit the orthodontist for the first time is age 7 and no later than age 10. This is a time of rapid growth when early orthodontics – also known as Phase 1 orthodontics – can influence and guide jaw and facial development and create room for permanent teeth to erupt. Here are just some of the reasons early intervention is worth the time and investment.
1. Improve Self-Esteem
Early orthodontics are more about logistics than cosmetics, but the benefits of this treatment do ultimately result in a better-looking smile and facial symmetry that can improve a child’s confidence and self-esteem. Obvious problems like overbites, underbites, and protruding teeth are easy for other kids to make fun of, and giving your child the gift of early Phase 1 orthodontics can transform how they feel about themselves.
2. Shorten Orthodontic Care
Some kids have mildly crooked teeth or spaces that need to be aligned with one round of full braces. Treatment like this can take about a year to complete. Children with far more complex misalignment, odd tooth eruptions, twisted teeth, or bite problems are likely to need braces for two to three years. Investing in early orthodontics can minimize the length of time orthodontic care is needed in the teen years.
3. Ward Off Trauma
When teeth are misaligned at any age, the risk of dental trauma increases. Falling or getting hit in the mouth can lead to damaged teeth, gums, or other soft tissues which often requires emergency dental care, invasive treatments, and even tooth extractions. Though the scope of Phase 1 orthodontics is narrow, appliances like expanders and spacers are powerful and can lower the risk of trauma to protruding teeth or otherwise.
4. Correct Bad Habits
If you have a child who has long sucked their thumb or used a pacifier, these habits can quickly become harmful to teeth and jaw, moving them in ways that can only be corrected with orthodontic intervention. Early braces can stop bad habits before they do long-term damage or demand extensive orthodontic treatment in adolescence. This effort can also help kids bite, chew, and speak correctly.
5. Avoid Invasive Treatments
Your child’s teeth will erupt on their own timeline. If something isn’t right with their alignment or there is crowding, the teeth will find places to go and they may show up too high or behind other teeth. In cases where early orthodontic treatment is not selected, it may be necessary to undergo corrective jaw surgery or tooth extractions for space management before any other orthodontic treatment can commence.
Learn More About Phase 1 Orthodontics from Your Woodinville Orthodontist
Braces are unique to every patient, and sometimes it’s appropriate for treatment to begin early to help prevent bigger, costly, and uncomfortable changes in adolescence. Contact Soleil Orthodontics in Woodinville, WA, to schedule your child’s first consultation and find out if they are a good candidate for early braces or can wait until the teen years.
