Get a Head Start on a Beautiful Smile
As a parent in Beverly or Topsfield, you want the best for your child. That includes healthy teeth and a pleasing smile. Dr. Diana and Dr. Neil will treat your children like their own by giving them the best possible orthodontic care.
Kids Should Get an Orthodontic Check-Up By 7
By seven years old, your child's teeth have developed enough for subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth to still be spotted while some baby teeth are still present.
This check-up may reveal that your child's bite is fine, and braces for kids aren't necessary.
Or, Dr. Diana or Dr. Neil may identify a developing problem but recommend monitoring your child's growth and development, and then, if indicated, begin treatment at the appropriate time for your child.
In other cases, Dr. Diana or Dr. Neil might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment.
Choosing the Best Time for Treatment
Sometimes preventive or interceptive orthodontic treatment will be all your child needs.
However, there is a good chance your child will require a second phase of comprehensive orthodontic treatment after the child has most or all of their permanent teeth.
While the age that kids get braces may vary, orthodontic treatment most often begins between 9 and 14. Some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they're treated early.
If Dr. Diana or Dr. Neil thinks your child will need treatment, he'll let you know when it will be best to begin treatment. This gives your orthodontist the best chance to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits
- Improve appearance and self-esteem in your child
- Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
- Create a more pleasing arrangement of teeth, lips and face
In short, Dr. Diana and Dr. Neil will be able to determine the best time to start treatment to give your child their most beautiful smile, so they can be their most confident self.
What Is Early Treatment?
The goal of interceptive treatment could be to create enough space for permanent teeth to erupt into the mouth or to help guide the growth of your child's jaws.
Early treatment may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated.
In some cases, Dr. Diana and Dr. Neil can achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.
Not all orthodontic treatment uses braces. Interceptive treatment could simply be removing a stubborn baby tooth so the permanent tooth can erupt correctly.
Some children may need help positioning their tongue when they swallow, while others may need intervention to stop a thumb- or finger-sucking habit. These issues are sometimes treated with habit appliances.
If your child's upper jaw is too narrow so that the permanent teeth do not have room to come in, interceptive treatment could consist of a palate expander to widen the upper jaw.
Signs the Bite's Not Right
It's not always easy to tell when your child may need braces or has an orthodontic problem.
Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a problem bite.
Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Breathing through the mouth
- Thumb-sucking
- Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
- Jaws that are too far forward or back
- Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
- Protruding teeth
- Upper and lower teeth that don't meet, or meet in an abnormal way
- An unbalanced facial appearance
- Grinding or clenching of the teeth
Learn More at Your Free Consultation
If your child has a dental issue, please contact us by setting up a free consultation at our Beverly, Salem, South Hamilton, or Topsfield office.
We can talk about your child's orthodontic options and develop a treatment plan customized to your child's needs.
