It’s common knowledge that kids love sugary treats. If given a choice, they wouldn’t leave a crumb of any dessert on the plate.
On the other hand, as much as you want to make sure that your kid has a great childhood filled with amazing experiences, certain things just can’t be controlled. You need to be aware that having an orthodontist for kids in Australia evaluate their teeth will help them enjoy their time without complaining about having a toothache later in life.
Here I will discuss some of the many positive aspects of bringing your child to the orthodontist. If you want to ensure you understand everything, read on to the conclusion.
What Age Should You Bring Your Child?
In the long term, it will be beneficial for your child to visit an orthodontist sooner rather than later, so the earlier you take them, the better. Early orthodontic visits assist in identifying any developmental problems that your child may experience and address them now, rather than waiting until they are teenagers to deal with them, which is the alternative to early orthodontic visits.
When a youngster is seven years old, they should go in for their first consultation with an orthodontist. If, on the other hand, your children are eight or nine years old or older and you skipped this early visit, there is no need for alarm. You still have time to get them in for an appointment today and find out if any developmental issues will require them to get orthodontic treatment in the future.
Let’s move on to the following topic, which is also very important for parents to be aware of now that you know what age is ideal for taking your child to the orthodontist for the first time.
Signs That Parents Should Be Wary Of Before Taking their Child to the Orthodontist
There are some indicators that parents need to keep an eye out for to know whether or not they should bring their children in for further testing. These are the following:
- Thumb sucking or the continued usage of pacifiers after three or four is considered unhealthy behaviour.
- Most children’s breath is exhaled via their lips rather than their noses.
- The youngsters have a habit of snoring when they are asleep.
- Most children have a significant overbite or an apparent underbite, which occurs when the top and lower teeth do not meet together, and the lips can’t close readily.
- There is a significant amount of space between each permanent tooth.
- It looks as though the permanent teeth will come in crooked.
- The teeth are crowded together and overlay one another excessively (overcrowding).
- When they bite, eat, or talk, children’s jaw bones make a popping sound.
- Children frequently struggle with biting and chewing difficulties.
- Children have a habit of biting the side of their cheeks regularly.
Because your child may not always verbally complain about their feelings and the suffering they are experiencing in the present, you should be on the lookout for these signals because your child may not always do so.
Should Your Child Visit the Ortho at an Early Age?
Even though your child’s teeth may look straight, there may be underlying issues you are unaware of. An example of this is the rare occurrence of a retained primary tooth. The adult tooth will continue to erupt and may do so before, after, or at an angle to the baby tooth. If this happens, the surrounding teeth could shift position and become misaligned.
Jaw development is another issue that can be spotted at an early age. Overcrowding may occur if your child’s permanent teeth and molars develop faster than their jaw. Examining the jaw’s bite is also performed to identify prematurity in the upper or lower jaw.
Your children’s orthodontist can make suggestions for treatment based on the specific concerns found. In making treatment recommendations, orthodontist in Bethesda, MD will consider your children’s ages, individual needs, and emotional growth.
A follow-up appointment is typically made a year or two later if there are no outstanding issues or problems. However, if problems are already present, early intervention may be suggested. In the same way, a checkup appointment afterwards is essential for ensuring a healthy jaw and tooth growth.
What are the Benefits?
It would be best to consider getting your kids started on orthodontic care early because of its many advantages. Taking care of difficulties as soon as they arise reduces the likelihood that they will worsen or be compounded later. Extra advantages of getting therapy right away include:
- Keep an eye on how your jaw is developing and adjust accordingly.
- Make it less likely that your permanent teeth won’t come in straight.
- Fill up any spaces that may have formed between your permanent teeth.
- Assist young people who are self-conscious about their teeth and gums.
- Keep against having to pull your adult teeth later on.
- Aid in avoiding the potential for tooth movement and subsequent misalignment.
- Deal with the problems of crowded and crooked teeth as they already exist.
Early developmental treatment has many benefits, including improved speech patterns and the capacity to speak clearly and facilitating eating a wider variety of foods. In addition, starting treatment early will make it simpler for your kids to acclimate to wearing braces when the time comes.
Why Not Wait Until Your Kids Are Teenagers to Get Their Teeth Straightened?
Problems can arise if you wait until your children are teenagers to take them to the orthodontist. An overbite or underbite may cause issues for them. Their teeth may be crowded or misaligned. Possibly there are spaces in their teeth—possible molar impaction.
In addition, patients may need more extensive treatments such as tooth extractions before getting braces. Furthermore, many orthodontic issues that youngsters have can be more easily remedied if treatment had begun earlier.
Your adolescent will likely need to wear braces or continue using Invisalign for at least two more years of their teenage years. Regular visits to the orthodontist beginning when the patient is seven years old can reduce the time spent wearing braces or Invisalign from two years to as little as one.
As you can see, taking your kids to the doctor before they hit puberty will assist them, and the doctors will figure out any issues they may have. Furthermore, bringing your children in at an earlier age allows them to form a bond with their orthodontist and get comfortable in the office.
Final Thoughts
When your child is your number one priority, giving them the best of everything includes taking them to the orthodontist. Do not put off being checked out and getting treatment; everyone will profit in the long run.
