There is a strong correlation between childhood orthodontic treatment and improved oral health in adulthood. In fact, research shows that individuals who had untreated orthodontic problems in their youth are three times more likely to suffer from a variety of oral health issues as adults, including tooth decay, gum disease, and jaw disorders. Although genetic factors also have an impact on dental health, orthodontic treatment is the leading solution for keeping the teeth straight and healthy.
At River City Pediatric Dentistry, our commitment to keeping growing smiles healthy involves the utilization of orthodontic treatment. That way, kids can enjoy the benefits of a beautiful smile and enhanced oral health for life!
Benefits of Early Orthodontics
Early orthodontics is capable of transforming your child’s smile before their bite can become more problematic, requiring longer treatment duration or more invasive orthodontic solutions. By monitoring your child’s smile over the years, we are able to better assess their needs and determine to what extent treatment will be necessary.
By the age of seven, your child should have a mix of primary and permanent teeth, giving us a better idea of their future smile needs and goals. In most cases, we recommend that children begin treatment between the ages of ten and fourteen.
Early orthodontic treatment has many benefits, including:
- Improved treatment timelines – One of the biggest benefits of early orthodontic treatment is that it provides us with a better understanding of your child’s future dental needs. By knowing this information, we can plan treatment for irregularities in their bite long before they become a more significant issue (such as crowding or malocclusion). This allows us to achieve better results in less time.
- Improved treatment outcomes – Early orthodontic treatment can also significantly reduce the amount of force required to move poorly spaced or crowded teeth and correct your child’s bite overall. This means great outcomes are completed through a much smoother process.
- Significant savings in cost and time – Early treatment allows for teeth to be treated more effectively and guided into the correct positions on a predictable and timely basis. This is because the jawbone is still growing and, therefore, more adaptable in making these early corrections. Early treatment is also less expensive than late-onset treatment because there are often less severe problems present when caught early.
- Better life experience – In most children’s lives, early orthodontic treatment provides a valuable opportunity to gain better self-esteem and social confidence. With a beautiful smile that can be achieved in less time, your child will feel good about their appearance and how they express themselves to the world as confident individuals.
As parents, it is important for you to make the decision as to whether or not early treatment is the right decision for your child. In most cases of misaligned teeth, early intervention is an excellent alternative to undergoing treatment as an adult. If you have any questions about whether early orthodontic treatment is right for your child, don’t hesitate to call our office for more information.
Traditional Metal Braces
Our office utilizes traditional metal braces for early orthodontic treatment as one of the most dependable, time-tested options; braces are capable of straightening even the most severe cases of misalignment.
- Before treatment begins, an initial visit is required to determine whether braces are necessary and, if so, what course of action should be taken. During this first appointment, the doctor will also take an x-ray of your child’s teeth to get a baseline view of their current dental health.
- As the next step, we will take impressions of your child’s top and bottom teeth for our dentist to study and analyze in order to devise a treatment plan.
- After the examination, your child’s braces will be applied. This begins by cementing metal brackets to the surface of each tooth. These brackets are then attached together by a thin wire.
- Once braces are attached, your child should visit our office every four or six weeks throughout the duration of treatment. There will be regular adjustments to the braces as your child’s teeth shift position, and these visits are required until the treatment is complete.
Due to improvements in technology and technique, modern braces are much more comfortable than they used to be, with smaller brackets and thinner wires. Although it might take some time to get used to the appliance, children usually adjust relatively quickly.
If you or your child would like more information about braces, contact our office today. Our team can answer any questions you might have and discuss the process with you so that your child can get their smile looking its best as soon as possible!
