As a Baytown parent, you may wonder about the best time to bring your child in to see an orthodontist. Johnston Orthodontics can provide a lot of insight about finding the right timeline for your family. Let’s talk about the best age to start orthodontic treatment in Baytown.
The Early Advantage
Remember that early orthodontic evaluation doesn’t always mean immediate treatment will be needed for your kids. Often, Dr. Johnston will simply monitor your child’s dental growth, waiting for the best time to intervene if necessary. However, there are several great benefits of starting evaluations at an early age:
- Identifying Issues Quickly: Early assessments help catch potential problems like crowding, spacing, or bite misalignments when they’re easiest to treat.
- Guiding Jaw Development: Early intervention can gently guide the growth of your child’s jaw, promoting proper alignment and function.
- Improving Oral Habits: Dr. Johnston can also help address and correct habits such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusting, which could impact your child’s dental health.
- Reducing the Need for Future Treatments: Early treatment can reduce the severity of future orthodontic issues, possibly preventing more invasive treatments later on.
Most orthodontic issues become clear around ages six to nine, which is why it’s a good idea to see a doctor during this period. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child start seeing an orthodontist by age seven. We use this time to help manage a number of issues, like:
- Crossbites: When upper teeth bite inside lower teeth, potentially causing jaw growth issues.
- Crowding: Limited space causes teeth to overlap, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease, and making teeth tough to clean.
- Overbites or Underbites: These bite problems can cause wear on teeth and jaw discomfort.
- Early Tooth Loss: Losing baby teeth prematurely can affect how permanent teeth erupt.
Special Tools of Early Orthodontics
Due to the anatomy of children, we have some appliances and tools that we reserve for their treatment. We call this Phase One orthodontics, usually between ages 7-10. It’s a way for us to set a strong foundation for more extensive orthodontic treatment (Phase Two) while bones and teeth continue to develop until permanent teeth erupt.
- Space Maintainers: We use these devices to keep space open if your child loses a baby tooth early, which helps keep tooth development on track.
- Palatal Expanders: Devices that gradually widen the upper jaw to correct crossbites and provide space for teeth.
- Partial Braces: Used to align teeth and correct bite problems in young children.
Answering Your Questions
Dr. Johnston and our team are always happy to respond to any questions you have about treatment, especially when it comes to your child.
Q: Is orthodontic treatment primarily for kids?
Orthodontic treatment can be amazing for individuals at any age. In addition to kids, teens, and adults often seek orthodontic care to correct dental issues, improve appearance, and boost self-confidence. Dr. Johnston provides comprehensive orthodontic solutions for patients of all ages, including traditional braces, clear braces, and clear aligners..
Q: How do I know if my child will benefit from orthodontic treatment?
This is where an in-person evaluation with Dr. Johnston is so valuable, since she can confirm any suspicions you might have about your child’s condition. Here are a few common signs you might be on the right track:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Mouth breathing or snoring
- Crowded, misaligned, or protruding teeth
- Thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting habits
- Reports of jaw pain or clicking sounds
Q: Is early orthodontic treatment costly?
Early orthodontic treatment is usually quite cost-effective, simply because it can prevent many more extensive and expensive treatments later in life. Johnston Orthodontics offers flexible payment plans, and dental insurance typically covers part of the cost. In fact, children are often more likely to be covered than adults. We will always be sure to help you break down your finances in a comprehensive way when you first visit us.
Q: Can orthodontics address my child’s speech difficulties?
Yes. Orthodontic treatments are usually one of the first lines of treatment to correct issues causing speech impediments, such as bite misalignments or palate problems, which helps improve speech clarity and overall communication.
When The Time Is Right
Our office is ready to welcome you and your family whenever you decide to take steps toward treatment, and hopefully, we’ve helped give you a better idea of when that might be for your kids! Please visit us soon for your child’s free consultation.