Early intervention orthodontics is essential for children at the age of 5 to 8 years. The ideal time to address orthodontic problems in a child is before the baby molars start to become loose. It usually happens when your child’s age is between 9 to 9 ½ years old. A child may be facing different types of dental problems, which you will have to watch out for. Some of them, to name a few, include anterior crossbite, posterior crossbite in which the upper arch is too narrow, crossbite, deep bite, and mandibular prognathism.
Initial Consultation & The Procedure
The dentist in Allen collects various data types once you take your child for an initial consultation as part of early intervention. The pediatric dentist in Allen will take intraoral and extraoral photos. For assessing the developing jaws, x-rays will be used. Screening for obstructive sleep apnea will be conducted by preparing a questionnaire. The Allen dentist will then conduct a detailed oral examination based on the photos, x-rays, questionnaire to check the presence of obstructive sleep apnea, and also evaluation of TMJ. The pediatric dentist will then take diagnostic impressions. The entire data will be reviewed, including the diagnostic impressions, which a preliminary diagnosis is made and a treatment plan is finalized.
Main Objectives of Early Intervention Orthodontics in Children
Early intervention helps in preventing the extraction of permanent teeth. It also helps create sufficient room for proper eruption of permanent teeth between the upper and lower jaws. Early intervention also helps in the proper alignment of upper and lower jaws. Dentists will be able to educate children about the need to maintain proper oral habits.
Reasons to conduct an early orthodontic intervention in children
Examining the child around the age of 7 is the right time to prevent any future dental problems and provide the best treatment for them. Crossbites, open bites, overbites, and protruding front teeth are some of the problems that need to be addressed as early as possible. In some scenarios, a pediatric dentist in Allen, TX, may provide braces for children during their childhood. Additional orthodontic intervention may be required at a later stage. Such problems can be identified only through early orthodontic intervention.
If not treated at early stages, some treatments may require surgery and tooth extractions. Early screening helps detect potential issues and provides the opportunity for the Allen dentist to give the best treatment. Fixing a poor bite is also essential in helping a child’s dental health since it can significantly affect the smile, chewing ability, brushing, etc. The treatment can work simultaneously with the jaw’s growth by providing early orthodontic intervention, thus producing the best results within the shortest period. Furthermore, it also reduces the time for wearing the braces too. Not every child’s mouth is in need for orthodontic treatment. Regular dental visits allow the dentist in Allen to check the development and help in determining the proper time for beginning the treatment.
