Early Intervention

Early Intervention

Sep 23, 2019

Missing teeth are a part of life for many children as they lose their primary (baby) teeth and wait for their adult teeth to come in, but are as these adult teeth come in – what happens if they’re coming in crooked or not precisely in the spot they should be? Should you wait it out or seek help sooner rather than later? This blog from Dr. Korous from Millennium Smiles in Frisco, Texas, may help explain why in all things that an ounce of prevention is worth a point of cure.

My Child Doesn’t Need an Orthodontist

Maybe not. But, there’s a good chance that they do. We get it – your parents probably waited to see what happened with you when all of your adult teeth came in, but this approach to orthodontics and dentistry is an old way of thinking.

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation around age seven, but some researchers suggest that children should be evaluated as young as three or four to determine if potential misalignment of their teeth and jaw and determine if orthodontic intervention is necessary.

Even if you feel as if there is nothing to evaluate in your young child and you feel as if their teeth will probably grow in straight, you can verify by going to the dentist and getting X-rays.

Are There Benefits to Early Intervention?

Yes. As with all things, there’s a huge benefit to starting treatment now versus waiting to fix problems once you can see them. Primarily, the biggest benefit is preventing problems down the road. For example, if you allow teeth to grow in crooked with the idea they can be pulled into the right position later with braces, you may find that your Child has an unbalanced bite, damage to their teeth, grind their teeth and can even develop sleep and speech issues.

Early intervention can also help improve jaw growth that was disrupted early on. If growth was disrupted, the result could mean a crossbite, overbite or underbite – which can also cause damage to the jaw joints and the teeth. Early intervention to correct these issues can mean treatment that does not require traditional braces. Instead, your child (or you) may be a candidate for neuromuscular orthodontic treatment to help fix growth disruption-related issues such as breathing problems, mid-face deficiency and speech issues.

If you are concerned about your Child’s oral health and the potential need for early intervention orthodontics, give Millennium Smiles in Frisco, Texas, a call at 972-468-8771.

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