When most people think about braces, awkward teenagers who don’t want to smile and try to cover their mouths when they talk is what comes to mind. This is pretty much the common view of today’s society, but it is not the ideal image, nor is it the best time to be giving your child braces. Getting braces is actually more useful in the earliest stages of oral development, or when your child starts to lose their teeth. It’s best practice to bring children into A&A Orthodontics for an orthodontic exam before they turn 7 years old.
By this tender age, most children have had their primary teeth for a good amount of time, and since their teeth are getting wiggly, the secondary adult teeth are beginning to grow in. If your child is going to have any developmental problems, this is the time they will become noticeable and you should start watching for them. It’s also the ideal time for dental correction because the mouth isn’t used to the changes yet and they can be easily fixed at this age.
You may be thinking you can wait until later to bring your child in, but the truth is, many developmental issues can manifest by the age of 7, and they are much easier to fix when kids are young. Orthodontic correction is less traumatic, and less expensive in the young years and can ensure your child’s teeth and jaw grow in functional and healthy ways as they should. Waiting until later can result in more difficult problems to treat and can give your child self-esteem issues that can be avoided. Also, if you wait too long, the bones in the jaw grow to be very strong and can be harder and take more time to correct.
If you make the decision to get your child treatment early and begin guiding the growth of the jaw and growth of the permanent teeth at a young age, you can avoid any difficulties down the line and provide your child with a healthy, functional smile and avoid any problems like these in the teenage years.
To schedule your child’s consultation with Drs. Adenwalla and Ashai, our orthodontists in Sandusky, Ohio, call today. We look forward to helping your child on have a great smile for years to come.