When you consider orthodontic care for your child, you probably imagine a 12-14 year old version of your child wearing metal braces and not being able to eat certain foods. This could very well be in your cards, but don’t wait until your child is 12-14 to bring him in for an orthodontic exam. By then, we can still complete the work that needs to be done, but it will be much more difficult on your child than it would have been if we had had an early start.

Orthodontists around the world recommend that you bring your child in for the first orthodontic appointment around the age of 7 or 8. It might sound early, but there’s a reason to the madness. At 7 or 8 years old, we are going to see the first warning signs indicating the need for orthodontics. We can immediately get to work using orthopedics, which are oral appliances and headgear that allow us to prepare the mouth for orthodontics. In some cases, orthopedics remove the need for orthodontics altogether!

How it Works

Children who are about 7 years old have started losing baby teeth, but have not lost all of their baby teeth. We can prevent a lot of problems by simply guiding the adult teeth into the best position possible by using spacers, expanders, and other appliances. Once all of the adult teeth have shown, we can continue our work with orthodontics or some sort, if we need to. That jump start on the process will save your child a lot of pain and embarrassment that could occur from more aggressive orthodontic treatment during puberty.

Don’t wait to set up an appointment for your child. We’d love to see you both soon and discuss options for the future smile that will adorn your walls for years. Contact us today to set up an appointment. Let us know how we can help your child prepare for this new experience! We’d love to help!