If your child is reaching the age of seven or is already older than that, now is the time for an orthodontic screening. The good news is that our pediatric dentists are very good at recognizing developmental abnormalities and they will send you over to meet our board certified orthodontists at the correct moment in your child’s development.
Like an eye test, a well visit, and routine dental check-ups, orthodontic issues need to be addressed early for maximum reduction in negative or challenging outcomes. The stage of oral development when the adult front teeth start to erupt is unequivocally the best time to have a look by an orthodontic specialist. Orthodontists are masters of oral growth and development and know what to do when orthodontic problems are detected.
Catching problems early makes it way simpler to address growth issues, eruption abnormalities and jaw alignment before they get out of hand. Early orthodontic intervention leads to treatment programs that are shorter, better, less complicated and more affordable for families.
Why It’s Important
Preventive screenings can assist to lessen the chance of problems such as eruption abnormalities, crossbites, asymmetries, speech problems, habits and skeletal bone problems. Braces are not usually recommended for most youngsters under the age of seven. However, at this stage in a child’s development, having an annual or bi-annual examination will help you spot minor issues before they become severe ones. That way we can implement simple treatments to modify growth or eruption patterns to help prevent the need for more complicated interventions in the middle school or teen years.
At Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, we will inspect your child’s oral health, erupting teeth and occlusion (bite) at each appointment to ensure that everything is in developing properly.
How Orthodontic Screenings Work
These are some of the things our orthodontists will look for during an evaluation:
- How do the upper and lower teeth occlude (bite) together?
- Underbites, open bites, and crossbites
- Jaw development and growth patterns
- Position of baby and adult teeth relative to normal
- Premature tooth loss
- Spacing issues
- Oral habits like thumb sucking and tongue thrusting
- X-rays to evaluate whether there are any missing or impacted teeth
- Permanent tooth development
Schedule Your Child’s Appointment
Orthodontic issues are best treated earlier, when possible. Severe issues can usually be avoided with the help of growth modifying, interceptive therapies to shorten the time and complexity of any orthodontic needs for your child. Give Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan a call today to schedule this very important evaluation.
