When it
comes to orthodontic evaluation and treatment for children, earlier is often
better. In most children, an abnormal bite is identifiable by an orthodontist
between the ages of 6 and 8 years old. Early treatment of certain oral
conditions must begin at a young age in order to achieve the desired level of
results, which may not be able to be realized if treatment is not begun until
the child is older. By beginning orthodontic treatment while a child is still
growing, your child can develop an attractive smile and optimal oral health.
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Reasons for Early Evaluation By an Orthodontist
The American Association of Orthodontists and the American Dental Association
recommend that all children be evaluated by an orthodontist by the age of 7
years old. At this age, most children have several adult teeth yet still have
some primary or baby teeth at the same time. In some cases, children may
develop speech impediments, painful or difficult chewing or problems with
breathing that could benefit from an early orthodontic evaluation. If an
orthodontist determines that early treatment would benefit your child, this
means that there are a greater variety of options for your child to achieve a
perfect smile and avoid problems that result from malocclusion and other oral
and jaw development problems. Because of new developments in orthodontic
technology, an early orthodontic evaluation can be the key to successful
treatment.
Benefits of Orthodontist Evaluation at 7 Years Old
When a child has an initial orthodontist evaluation at the age of 7, this
allows the orthodontist to take measurements and track the child's jaw and
mouth growth. By comparing growth rates over a specified time period, the
orthodontist can determine whether your child would benefit from early
orthodontic treatment or whether it would be better to hold off until your
child has grown more. While not all children are candidates for early
treatment, an early evaluation is the best way to plan future successful
treatments. If your child would benefit from early treatment, the initial
evaluation at the age of 7 could prevent problems with the eruption of future
adult teeth, problems with the arch of the palate or the size and angle of the
jaw. Early orthodontic evaluation at the age of 7 could even reduce the extent
and duration of the orthodontic treatments that are needed to give your child a
functional, attractive and healthy smile.
About
this Article: This
article has been provided by East Coast Orthodontics, an orthodontic practice
that was established in Dublin, Ireland in 1997. They offer a range of various
treatments including traditional braces and teeth straightening services. For more information click here
to visit the website.
Its good to have kids visit the orthodontist since any defects would be easier to cure at a your age.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't evaluated by an orthodontist until I was 18 :). My teeth still got fixed though :). My daughter is 6, and her teeth are quite crooked. Maybe I should have an orthodontist look at her teeth now.
ReplyDeleteRJ's upper teeth are quite crooked and she's super conscious with it. We want her to be evaluated by an orthodontist but not until she's 12. I didn't know that 7 years old is the ideal age. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteHad my very first orthodontist evaluation when I was 8 years old. Now I am grateful for my parents for such a great move. Now I rarely have problems about my mouth, jaw and teeth :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post, sis. I never knew about this. My son is turning 7 this December and I will bring him to an Orthodontist to check on him. His baby teeth are falling one by one and I want to make sure that he'll have a normal teeth when he grows up.
ReplyDeleteMy kids are scheduled to visit their dentist soon, whom they love so much, I will ask her for recommendation regarding this, truly is helpful and will benefit them greatly for sure! I didn't know about the age part :D
ReplyDelete