Early Treatment
At the first dental checkup, you and your child will probably receive instructions on proper care of the teeth and advice on the importance of a proper diet. It may be at these dental visits that an orthodontic problem is first detected. Though treatment does not necessarily begin immediately, an orthodontic examination is very important to ensure intervention at the optimal time.
An early examination allows the orthodontic specialist to determine how and when a child's particular problem should be treated for maximum improvement, requiring the least amount of time and providing the greatest benefit. With some patients, early treatment achieves results that are unattainable once the face and jaws have finished growing.
Recognising an orthodontic problem at an early age does not always result in early treatment. After evaluating your child, the orthodontist may simply want to check your child periodically while the permanent teeth are erupting and the jaws and face continue to grow. However, if your child has a problem which requires attention, your orthodontist may recommend interceptive treatment. This early intervention, which takes advantage of facial growth and tooth eruption, can lessen the severity of a problem, and it frequently makes the completion of treatment less complicated.
The following early warning signs may indicate that your child should have an orthodontic examination:
* Early or late loss of teeth
* Difficulty in chewing or biting
* Mouth breathing
* Finger sucking or other oral habits
* Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
* Jaws that shift or make sounds
* Speech difficulty
* Biting the cheek or into the roof of the mouth
* Protruding teeth
* Teeth that meet in an abnormal manner or don't meet at all
* Facial imbalance
* Jaws that protrude or retrude
* Grinding or clenching of the teeth
ORTHODONTIST TIPS
Foods to Avoid
Hard or sticky food will do damage by bending wires, loosening cement that seals the bands to the teeth, or breaking brackets away from the teeth.
Do Not Eat
Popcorn, nuts, peanut brittle, ice (even if you're careful), lemons (pure lemon juice has acid), corn on the cob, Mexican style or Dorrito type chips, taffy, caramels, gum, or sticky candy.
Do Not Eat
Foods high in sugar content (to protect your dental health)
Refer a Friend
Refer a friend and your next checkup and cleaning is free*
* Note: Only applies to checkup and not additional dental procedures that patient requests as a result of checkup.