Preventing and correcting bite issues are the reasons why orthodontic treatments are primarily used. The problems may affect children due to many factors, including losing primary teeth early, genetic factors, and detrimental habits like thumb-sucking and developmental issues. Issues with children’s teeth may be present during childbirth, develop when they are toddlers, or even during early childhood.
Crooked teeth can hamper the child’s self-esteem and make appropriate home care challenging, while straighter teeth help minimize the risk of tooth decay and early childhood periodontal disease. During six monthly preventive visits to the pediatric dentist near me with your child, the dentist can utilize various diagnostic tools to monitor orthodontic irregularities in your child’s mouth and, if necessary, implement strategies for early intervention. Children must have their initial orthodontic evaluation before age eight.
Your child could be displaying early signs of minor orthodontic issues. In such cases, the pediatric dentist in Milford, CT, may decide to monitor your child’s situation over time without intervening immediately. However, if the child displays severe orthodontic irregularities, the pediatric dentist may refer you to orthodontics near me because they can provide children many benefits.
Orthodontics is a specialty in dentistry focusing on correcting issues with the teeth and bite. When you visit orthodontics near me with your child, you are seeing a specialist who has acquired additional training and qualification after completing four years in dental school.
On the other hand, pediatric dentists specialize in treating children and are specialists in handling every dental issue affecting children. However, they haven’t specialized in orthodontics and therefore refer you to orthodontist Milford, CT, where your child can receive the treatment they require.
If your child displays severe orthodontic irregularities and has them corrected from orthodontics near you, the treatment benefits your child in many ways. Some of them are the following:
The above benefits should convince you why it is essential for your child to get orthodontic treatments early.
Pediatric dentists from big smiles dentistry recognize three types of age-related stages of orthodontic treatment. The stages are:
Early treatment between two and six years aiming to guide and regulate the width of both dental arches. The primary goal of early orthodontic treatment is to provide sufficient space for permanent teeth to emerge. Suitable candidates for early orthodontic treatment include children with difficulties biting correctly, those who lose primary teeth early, children who use their mouth for breathing instead of their nose, and children clicking or grinding their jaws when moving.
Middle dentition occurs between six and 12 years old. The treatments are to realign wayward jaws, begin correcting crossbites, and start the process of gradually straightening misaligned permanent teeth. Middle dentition is an appropriate time for correcting severe malocclusion because the child’s hard and soft tissues are incredibly pliable.
Adolescent dentition begins after 13 years and involves straightening the child’s teeth and improving their aesthetic appearance. During this stage, orthodontists provide fixed or removable braces for the child to wear on their teeth for gradually straightening them. After completion of the orthodontic treatment, the child must wear retainers to prevent regression of the teeth to their original alignment.
The explanation provided in this blog in no way means adults cannot seek orthodontic treatment if they have crooked or misaligned teeth. However, they must understand their jaws and teeth are not in the developmental stages and are challenging to move compared to children.
Children’s teeth are more comfortable to move to give them better oral hygiene and an aesthetic appearance. When children receive orthodontic treatments early, they are unlikely to embarrass themselves because they have metal and wire braces on their teeth. It is why we have spoken about the benefits of children receiving early orthodontic treatments.