The Benefits of Early Orthodontics

Your children will get their teeth at an alarming rate. They start to show up at a young age and within a few years, most of their baby teeth have already come in. As they age, they will begin to lose their baby teeth and start to get their adult teeth. This can begin as early as five years old.

Once those adult teeth start coming in, it will be imperative for them to start seeing their pediatric dentist to see if early orthodontics would benefit them. Adult teeth are larger than baby teeth and as they come in, it can lead to severe issues in the mouth. When that happens, it may be time for an Early Orthodontic evaluation.

Looking at the Benefits Early Orthodontics

Your child’s mouth will change quickly once adult teeth start to develop and grow into place. Some of the advantages and benefits of starting early with their pediatric dentistry include:

• Early detection of issues so they can be treated before they become severe, which will save you money and procedures in the future.
• Early detection also allows for systematic tooth guidance. This keeps the teeth from pushing into other teeth around them.
• Healthy gums and teeth will be a part of your child’s daily life.

Early Start Means Early Correcting

It is important for your child to get screened for issues early on because it will save your child a lot of issues down the road. Once those adult teeth start coming in, your child can start to develop crowding or other issues, which can contribute to an incorrect brushing for hard-to-reach areas. The orthodontist will then be able to help guide and protect all the teeth in your child’s mouth, getting them ready for a healthy foundation for adult teeth. The early start age of seven is a target date for most kids. But, it really depends on the development of your child, this could also mean sooner or later for your child.

Preventing Impacted Teeth and Overcrowding

Early treatment of the child’s teeth may be the best way to form a straight smile. Failure to detect and solve issues along the path to adulthood could lead to more intensive procedures and even elective surgeries as their smiles form. Here are some of the benefits of starting to treat problems early on.

• Teeth that start to crowd each other out can be moved in order to make room for the new teeth that are growing in.
• The jaw area can be guided to develop normally through guided placement.
• There is always a risk of teeth impacting each other, making it more difficult to clean the teeth properly, which can lead to more cavities and tooth decay.
• Early treatment can also lead to baby teeth removal as the new ones start to come in. This keeps the mouth free of trouble spots.

What Are the Chances that My Child Will Not Have Any Issues?

There is always a chance that your child will not have problems with their teeth that are coming in. It is recommended that most of the baby teeth be gone before orthodontics can take place. But it really depends on your child. Some kids can start the process with a few baby teeth still in place. But it depends on the severity of the issues present at the time of their first visit.

The length of the procedures can take up to a year to complete. However, It really depends on the age of the child. It also depends on the types of issues that are found along the way.

What Do I Need to Do to Get Started?

In order for you to get started, it is important to understand that issues in oral health can be invisible. Just because you don’t see any problems with their baby teeth or the start of their adult teeth forming, doesn’t mean an issue isn’t forming under the root of their tooth or their jaw. At Ponte Vedra Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, your initial evaluation will be able to help us detect the status of your child’s overall oral health, and help to promote a positive oral health routine.

It will be at this visit that a plan is developed to treat all of the issues that are found in your or your child’s mouth. Our staff will help explain everything along the way and will provide you with detailed information. If you wish to fast-track your child to a beautiful and confident smile early on, be sure to get in contact with our office today to schedule your first appointment with us!