First check-up at age 7
Orthodontics for Children
As a parent, you want the best for your child. That includes healthy teeth and a pleasing smile. At Dunn Orthodontics, our goal is to treat your children as if they were our own, by providing them with the best possible orthodontics for children.
Kids Should Get an Orthodontic Check-Up by Age 7
To have a smile that's long-lasting and healthy, your child needs teeth and jaws that are properly aligned - in other words, a healthy bite. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that your child get an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven.
By then, your child's teeth have developed enough for subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth to still be spotted while some baby teeth are still present. This check-up may reveal that your child's bite is fine and braces for kids aren't necessary.
Or, Dr. Courtney Dunn and Dr. Matthew Dunn may identify a developing problem but recommend monitoring your child's growth and development, and then, if indicated, begin treatment at the appropriate time for your child. In other cases, Dr. Courtney Dunn and Dr. Matthew Dunn might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment.
What is Early Treatment? Early treatment may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated. In some cases, Dr. Courtney Dunn or Dr. Matthew Dunn will be able to achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.
Choosing the Best Time for Orthodontics for Children
While the age that kids get braces may vary, orthodontics for children most often begins between the ages of 8 and 14. Some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they are treated early.
If Dr. Courtney Dunn or Dr. Matthew Dunn thinks your child will need treatment, they will let you know when it will be best to enjoy treatment. This gives your Phoenix orthodontist the best chance to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits
- Improve appearance and self-esteem in your child
- Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
- Create a more pleasing arrangement of teeth, lips and face
Signs the Bite's Not Right: It's not always easy to tell when your child may need braces or has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a problem bite. Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Breathing through the mouth
- Thumb-sucking
- Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
- Jaws that are too far forward or back
- Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
- Protruding teeth
- Upper and lower teeth that don't meet, or meet in an abnormal way
- An unbalanced facial appearance
- Grinding or clenching of the teeth
Get Started
If your child has a dental issue, please set up a free consultation. We'd love to discuss your child's orthodontic options and develop a treatment plan that is customized to your child's needs.