When to Take Your Child to Visit the Orthodontist

There’s a common misperception that braces and orthodontic intervention are mainly for teenagers and young adults. The truth is that young children and tweens—as well as adults—also benefit from having an orthodontist correct bite problems or deal with other issues in the mouth. Children as young as six or seven are the perfect age for that first orthodontic visit. The Phoenix orthodontist can make sure their teeth and mouths are developing as they should.

What’s more, early intervention can greatly reduce the extent of treatments later on. Early intervention prevents orthodontic issues from festering or worsening over time, which could require more extensive and expensive treatments when the child is older. As a parent, taking your child in to see an orthodontist early can mean reducing overall expenses. It can also reduce the length of time your child will need braces or other treatments after your child gets all of his or her permanent teeth.

Signs of Trouble – When to Take Your Child to the Orthodontist

So go ahead and schedule an investigative appointment for your children around the age when baby teeth are starting to fall out—approximately six or seven years old. In addition, be sure to have your child evaluated if she is showing any of the following signs that could indicate trouble down the line:

• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Persistence in thumb sucking
• When baby teeth start coming out earlier or later than usual. The normal age for beginning to lose baby teeth is around age five or six. Permanent teeth usually come in completely by ages 12 or 13
• Speech impairment
• Issues with tooth placement: crowded teeth or teeth spaced too widely apart
• Protruding teeth on the top or bottom
• Abnormal bite, when teeth don’t come together at all when the mouth is closed

By catching problems early, you are helping your child have a better quality of life and lowering your overall costs. At Dunn Orthodontics, we love to see kids of all ages in our practice. Visit our Homepage to learn more about our office and what we do. You can also schedule an appointment for orthodontic treatment in the Phoenix area.