Why Do We Recommend An Evaluation For Young Children?
Has it been recommended that you take your child to be evaluated at an orthodontist, and you are surprised because of their age? Long gone are the days when only teenagers and adults received orthodontic care. With the advancements in orthodontic treatment and technology, we have learned that children benefit most from being evaluated and starting treatment at the age of 7. We also think it’s important to note that not every child who visits our office for an evaluation will need to start treatment immediately. Some may need treatment now, while we might monitor others to determine whether they will need treatment at a later time.
Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment
Even though an evaluation may have been recommended for your child, it doesn’t mean that we will recommend braces for your child immediately. When a child is younger, we are more concerned about the shape and size of their jaw and the arch of their teeth. Using X-rays, models of the teeth, and photographs, we are able to determine if the jaw is too wide or narrow, or if the child is experiencing bite issues. Fixing issues with the jaw early on can:
- Create space to give the permanent teeth room to grow in properly
- Avoid having to remove permanent teeth at a later age
- Improve minor speech problems
- Help avoid impacted teeth
- Coordinate the width between the upper and lower arches
Braces May Not Be Needed
Parents are excited to learn that when the jaw and bite issues are corrected early, it allows the adult teeth to move into place correctly. When this occurs, many children don’t need any further treatment in their teenage years. We will continue to monitor if anything should change. We also want to note that patients who have their jaw and bite issues corrected at an early age, if they do need braces, they will typically wear them for a much shorter time.
If you are located in Southfield, MI or the surrounding area and are in need of finding an orthodontist for your child or yourself, we would love to welcome you to The Best Braces. Be sure to call our team to schedule an evaluation and learn why our practice is so different from others you may have contacted.
