Going to the dentist used to be for getting a bad tooth pulled out or a cavity filled in. No wonder children dreaded visits to the dentist. Dentistry has evolved to include a number of branches including orthodontics. Phoenix orthodontists encourage children to see an orthodontist as early as possible and with good reason. Sometimes early therapy for children can prevent bigger orthodontic problems.
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that is concerned with correcting anomalies to do with dental structures. It is concerned with using appliances like braces in Phoenix AZ and clear aligners like Invisalign in Phoenix to straighten out teeth that are not straight and correcting a poor bite.
Early detection of such problems can allow an orthodontist to help resolve them before they cause major dental problems. Can you go straight to an orthodontist for braces? Yes! While children can receive a referral to an orthodontist by their dentist, it is not necessary to get a referral.
In addition to giving your child self esteem with a smile that they can happily show, there are health benefits to seeing an orthodontist. One is that proper teeth and jaw alignment can ward off problems like tooth decay and gum disease. Straight teeth do not accumulate as much plaque and are much easier to clean. Also, protruding upper teeth are less prone to injury for instance as a child participates in sports.
In addition, uneven teeth can wear out gum tissue and the bones that support teeth causing headaches, neck pain and in severe cases, joint dysfunction. Such teeth also cause a lot of wearing on the tooth surface so that proper chewing of food is difficult and a child can suffer digestive problems as a result.
Early Therapy for Children in Phoenix
It is best for a child with such dental problems to see Phoenix orthodontists while their bones and teeth are still growing. It is much easier to prevent dental problems with early therapy for children than deal with them when they have already set in. You can avert potential health problems and allow your child to grow up with the confidence that comes from having nice teeth.
“I always wanted my teeth straight. I had these teeth on the bottom right that were crooked and just looked very unpresentable. So I needed braces to make my smile straight.
My mom never had braces, but she was adamant that her kids would have straight teeth.
Everyone at Dunn Orthodontics was always super friendly, super courteous and super helpful. I liked how they made sure that you knew what was going on at every appointment.
I really like how straight and shiny my teeth are now. Now I smile all the time.” – Erica