November 26, 2024
Dr. Frank Sharp and Dr. Laura Moore, Sharp Orthodontics
Most parents recognize the importance of instilling good oral hygiene habits in their children and make it a priority to routinely take their children to the dentist for cleanings and to fix the occasional cavity. Did you know though, that taking your children to see an orthodontist at an early age is just as important as taking your children to their regular dental check-ups?
Many parents think that an orthodontic exam is only necessary when the child says they want braces or think they need to wait until their dentists sends them for evaluation. In reality, seeing an orthodontist by the age of 7 is an important appointment that you do not want to miss.
With additional training in growth and development, orthodontists can spot future problems and proactively make recommendations to make a patient’s future braces experience more comfortable and more enjoyable.
Why an Orthodontist?
Orthodontics is a dental specialty that takes an additional 2-3 years of education focused on the alignment of teeth and jaws through the course of growth and development. Therefore, with the help of traditional braces or clear aligners, the goal at Sharp Orthodontics is much more than creating a pretty smile.
As specialists, our focus for our young patients is to manage space for erupting teeth, help teeth erupt the way they should, correct problems that prevent proper eating, sleeping, or speaking, and on giving our patients the confidence to smile. This could mean intervening at an earlier age to address crowding issues and jaw growth discrepancies with things like expanders, braces, aligners, and retainers if appropriate.
When to see an Orthodontist for an Exam?
Even for parents that know that orthodontic care will eventually be important for their child, we are often asked when their first evaluation should be. There seems to be quite a bit of confusion on this topic and many parents feel that they should wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth, displays severe crowding, demonstrates an insecurity, or complains of pain. Ideally, however, children should be examined much sooner.
Orthodontists recommend an initial exam by the age of 7. This allows for early detection of potential issues and timely treatment planning that is appropriate at each stage of growth and development. Our goal is to give patients a treatment plan that takes advantage of each stage of a child’s maturation while minimizing invasive interventions to maintain a complete, healthy dentition. Proper orthodontic care for your child may start earlier than you originally anticipated, but pays dividends in the future by catching potentially costly problems before they develop.
Ready to experience the difference of personalized orthodontic care for you or your child? Contact Sharp Orthodontics today at (417) 888-3030 to schedule your free consultation. Take the first step towards a more confident, healthy smile today!