How many of you are contemplating getting braces for your child?

A few generations ago, family orthodontists believed in waiting for children to lose all their milk teeth and were in their early teens before putting on braces. Now, there has been a significant change in orthodontic treatment. Children as young as 7 years are seen with braces in their mouths. Kids orthodontists today recommend early orthodontic evaluation for children in the age group of 6 to 8 years. An evaluation helps the orthodontist evaluate your child’s dental makeup and decide whether or not an early intervention of braces is necessary.

Early intervention of braces in kids helps correct the developmental problems associated with their teeth and jaws. Braces for kids may be necessary if your child has any of these 8 conditions:

1. Crowded, crooked or misplaced teeth
2. Spaces between teeth
3. Extra teeth or missing teeth
4. Breathes through the mouth more than the nose
5. Difficulty in eating, chewing and biting
6. Protruding teeth
7. Jaws and teeth are out of proportion to the rest of the face
8. Overbite, underbite, and crossbite

The sooner your child gets treatment the higher the chances of improving the growth of your child’s jaws and face, and avoiding any potential health problems in the future. Introduction of braces early helps move your child’s bones while they are still malleable and expands the jaw to make more room for his/her permanent teeth. Orthodontic treatment if done early may help your child avoid surgery or tooth extraction later on. Early orthodontic treatment for children also proves to be less expensive, less painful and less time-consuming in the long run. For many children, early treatment can prevent any emotional anxiety that a child may face about having distorted facial symmetry.

5 Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment

1. Creates More Space for Crowded Teeth to Erupt – Interceptive orthodontics at the age of 6 or 7 makes it easier to address problems like crowding. Before the permanent teeth grow the jaw is expanded to make room for the teeth to erupt through the gums.
2. Improves Facial Symmetry – Braces correct the issues of crooked and misaligned teeth. The tooth movement brings changes to the overall appearance of the face and has a positive impact on the bite and alignment of the teeth and jaws.
3. Reduces Risk of Chipping of Protruded Teeth – Children with protruding teeth do not have enough lip coverage to protect their teeth from a fall or a knock. This may result in the damage or loss of their front teeth. Protruding teeth problems can be taken care of with braces.
4. Speech Obstruction Resolution – When upper teeth overlap a lot on the bottom teeth it leads to creating a whistling sound by allowing air to escape while talking, which obstructs the correct placement of the tongue. Braces can correct an overbite and fill the gaps between the teeth.
5. Reduces Time for Phase II Treatment – Early orthodontic treatment reduces your phase II treatment time. Phase I decreases the trauma of protruding teeth, making way for perfectly aligned permanent teeth to erupt, thus reducing the need for tooth removal at a later stage.

Orthodontist in Lawrenceville for Children

Dr. Koch at Koch Orthodontist in Lawrenceville & Loganville, GA believes in treating your child as his own to ensure that the best treatment is offered to each child. He discusses the benefits of early intervention of braces in kids with you and your child and will monitor your child’s oral health for years to ensure that your child gets the best possible treatment. Call us today to make an appointment.