Orthodontic treatment for children

Industry recommendation

Regular check-ups with your family dentist should quickly become a part of your child’s routine, but many parents don’t even think about taking their child to see an orthodontist. Therefore, you may be interested to know that seven is the age the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends children visit an orthodontist.

At the age of seven, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth. This makes it easier for us to be able to assess your child’s teeth and, most importantly, identify any signs of impending orthodontic problems.

An early consultation with an orthodontist enables us to:

• Correct and guide the growth of your child's jaw to help the permanent teeth come in straight
• Regulate the width of the upper and lower arches
• Create more space for crowded teeth
• Avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions later in life
• Correct thumb sucking and help improve minor speech problems

Phase one treatment

Some children benefit from Phase One or "early" treatment, prior to the eruption of the full set of permanent teeth. Dr. Waldman is an expert in this type of treatment and will advise you if your child could benefit from this treatment approach.

Some examples of the problems that benefit from Phase One treatment are:

• Habits (finger or thumb sucking)
• Severe overbite
• Cross-bite of posterior (back) or anterior (front) teeth
• Severe crowding

Please contact our practice to schedule an appointment for an orthodontic evaluation. Early treatment now will give your child a healthy, beautiful smile for the future.