Start Early For Good Dental Health

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that a child first visit the family dentist by his or her first birthday when they evaluate a child's teeth and jaw growth and could alert parents to any developing dental problems. Childhood is a good time to teach your child about the importance of good oral hygiene and set the foundation for a lifetime of good dental habits.

At about age 7, your child should get an orthodontic evaluation to ensure that your child's jaw and teeth are properly aligned. On average, most orthodontic treatment occurs between the ages of 9 and 14. At age 7, your child will have a mix of adult and baby teeth and an orthodontist will be able to detect subtle problems with jaw growth. If detected early, some orthodontic problems can be easier to correct.

With early orthodontic treatment, children can achieve optimal results. For children, there are the following options for treatment:
  • Comprehensive treatment begins when all the permanent teeth are present.
  • Phase I or early treatment may involve orthodontic appliances which will guide the growth of young bones and create a more idealistic environment for the emerging adult teeth. This may prevent more serious problems from developing and may make later treatment shorter and less complicated.
  • Phase II is often necessary to obtain final alignment of the teeth and refine the bite.

An evaluation by Dr. DaVirro is necessary to determine if a two phase treatment is recommended or if one comprehensive treatment is appropriate.

Some children will benefit from early treatment. Early treatment may involve orthodontic appliances which will guide the growth of young bones and create a more idealistic environment for the emerging adult teeth. This may prevent more serious problems from developing and may make later treatment shorter and less complicated.

Even if your child's teeth appear straight, there may be harmful bite conditions that you do not see. Some signs to look for would include:
  • Protruding teeth
  • Jaw that appears too far back or forward
  • Unbalanced facial appearance
  • Tooth grinding
  • Difficulty biting or chewing
  • Thumb sucking
  • Early/late loss of your child's baby teeth

If you bring your child in by age 7, Dr. DaVirro would have the chance to lower the risk of trauma to the protruding front teeth, correct harmful oral habits, guide jaw growth, guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position but most importantly improve your child's appearance and self-esteem.

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