Many parents mistakenly think that waiting until their child is older to receive orthodontic interception is the best option because permanent teeth still haven’t started to grow. However, orthodontic treatments are not just useful for fixing problems which have already occurred. They can also be extremely helpful to prevent future issues and other treatments altogether.
The Many Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment
To answer the question, according to the American Association of Orthodontics, the best age for a patient’s first orthodontic evaluation is 7. This way, patients who can benefit from early treatment are notified of their options as early as possible. Because the jaw and teeth are still growing at this age, orthodontic interception is particularly successful. Thus, making early treatment a vital opportunity. Early treatment can prevent a number of issues like:
Gum Issues: If permanent teeth grow in at a high placement, the gums will too. So, early treatment can prevent this issue altogether by providing room enough for teeth to grow into place. Thus, often preventing future gum surgery and/or grafting.
Overcrowding: When teeth grow in too close to one another, often times extracting teeth is the only treatment. But, early treatment can prevent this issue by elongating dental arches to promote proper tooth placement during growth.
Future Orthodontic Procedures: When treatments are available to children at an early age, it’s common that lifelong issues are avoided. In return, additional orthodontic surgery is not necessary. Or, commonly, orthodontic treatments which are needed don’t have to be utilized for nearly as long.
Embarrassment: Children are commonly teased for things which are out of their control. And, it’s not out of the norm for children to get picked on for their teeth. Fortunately, early treatment can help to prevent this embarrassment and even provide children with a better outlook on life. After all, children who take advantage of early treatment have a beautiful smile to look forward to in their future.
Is Your Child at the Age of Orthodontic Evaluation?
Find out if your child is a candidate for early treatment with an orthodontic evaluation at one of our Sequence Orthodontics locations. To schedule your evaluation, contact us through our website today.
