Preventing Future Dental Problems: How Pediatric Dentistry Helps with Orthodontics
Did you know that the care your pediatric dentist provides early in your child’s life will affect how straight their teeth will be as adults?
The path to beautifully straight teeth starts at a very young age. While this path may not be apparent when kids get their first teeth, the care children receive with pediatric dentistry can affect their need for teeth straightening with orthodontics. In fact, there is a strong connection between pediatric dentistry and orthodontics.
Early Care with Pediatric Dentistry is the Cornerstone of Beautifully Straight Teeth
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) suggests that children visit the pediatric dentist when their first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday.
Pediatric dentistry focuses on the oral health of all children, from infancy through adolescence. Pediatric dentists use preventative and therapeutic measures to ensure their young patients develop healthy teeth and gums that last them a lifetime.
Pediatric orthodontics is a subset of pediatric dentistry. It deals specifically with aligning the teeth and jaws to ensure a proper bite and a great smile as a child grows.
Why Healthy Baby Teeth are Important to the Alignment of Permanent Teeth
In addition to biting and chewing, a child’s baby teeth also serve as “placeholders” for their adult teeth. Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, usually begin coming in when a child is between 4 and 7 months old. Baby teeth typically stay in place until the adult teeth, which are sitting just below, push them out.
Most children start losing their primary teeth when they are about 6, but some may start a little earlier or up to a year later. Children typically have all of their permanent teeth by the age of 14.
Losing baby teeth can cause crooked teeth later in life
Some children lose their baby teeth too early, and early tooth loss can affect the position of the permanent teeth. Without their “placeholders,” the permanent teeth can erupt in the wrong place in the jaw.
Kids can lose their baby teeth too early for a number of reasons. The most common reason is tooth decay. Gum disease and trauma to the face can also cause a child to lose a tooth too soon.
Early tooth loss is often preventable. Care from a pediatric dentist can go a long way. Pediatric dentists can spot signs of tooth decay early when cavities are the most easily treatable. They can also treat gum disease, damage from trauma, and other conditions that lead to early tooth loss and the need for orthodontics later in life.
Pediatric Dentistry Helps Ensure There’s Enough Room for Adult Teeth
Adult teeth are much larger than baby teeth, so they take up more room on the patient’s jaw. Overcrowding can push teeth out of their optimal position.
Pediatric dentistry ensures enough space in the patient’s jaw to accommodate the more prominent teeth. A pediatric dentist checks the size of a child’s jaw as it grows and takes action to create more room if it is not large enough.
Pediatric Dentistry Can Help Correct or Prevent Common Orthodontic Problems in Children
Some orthodontic issues are common in children. They include:
- Malocclusions – crooked teeth
- Overcrowding
- Misaligned teeth
Pediatric dentistry helps address these issues through a variety of appliances, such as:
- Fixed space maintainers, which hold open a gap left by the premature loss of a baby tooth
- Appliances to control thumb sucking or tongue thrusting
- Removable space maintainers
- Jaw repositioning appliance
- Removable retainers
- Removable headgear
Consult with Your Pediatric Dentists in Ponte Vedra/Nocatee about Orthodontics
Contact your pediatric dentist in Ponte Vedra, FL, to learn more about how pediatric dentistry helps with orthodontics to prevent future dental problems. Dr. Lindsay Maples provides a comprehensive approach to children’s dental care and pediatric dentistry at Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. We offer orthodontic treatment, orthodontic braces, and Invisalign braces in Ponte Vedra.