 | 
 |
When should my child see an orthodontist?
Every child is a little different and so is every orthodontic problem. For that reason, the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation around age 7. The exception to this guideline is if you or your general dentist suspect an orthodontic problem before your child is seven. If you do, by all means contact an orthodontic specialist for an earlier evaluation.
Isn't seven years of age too early?
Not really, though many parents are surprised because they associate orthodontic treatment, specifically braces, with adolescence. However, an early childhood examination allows the orthodontist to determine when your child's particular problem should be treated for maximum improvement with the least time and expense.
For many children, early diagnosis and treatment by the orthodontist can achieve results that are not possible once their face and jaws have finished growing. It can help tooth eruption, guide facial growth and therefore, prevent more serious problems from occurring. Another plus is that early intervention frequently makes the later "braces" stage easier, less time consuming, and in some cases, more economical.
How can I tell if my child needs to see the orthodontist?
The following are just a few of the early indications that your child may have or may develop an orthodontic problem:
- Unusual facial profile
- Thumb and/or finger sucking
- Nail biting
- Overlapping and crowded teeth
- Missing teeth
- Underbite
- Protrusion of upper front teeth
- Mouth breathing
If you notice any of these indicators, consult with an orthodontic specialist. If there's a problem, it may be possible to intercept it or to prevent further problems from developing.
What if my child is already older than age seven?
Orthodontics can improve smiles at any age! The most important thing is that your child receives the orthodontic care that's right for them, no matter what age. It's never too late to make an important difference in your child's life.
|
|
Most people associate orthodontics with "braces", but there are actually several stages of orthodontic treatment for children, depending on their age and specific orthodontic needs. I'll briefly describe each stage and also share my personal style, philosophy, and policies regarding each.
PRE-ORTHODONTIC GUIDANCE:
After your child's first visit, I may recommend no treatment, but ask you to schedule a future appointment to check your child's growth and development. Although it may seem like "we don't do anything" during this phase, these visits can be very critical to your child's orthodontic future. Many orthodontic problems are hereditary and so they are greatly influenced by how your child grows and develops. Other orthodontic problems are influenced by acquired habits like thumb sucking, nail biting, speech problems, mouth breathing, etc… To get the very best orthodontic results possible, I will need to see your child periodically during this time to monitor all of the various factors that influence their teeth and jaws.
I believe some orthodontists begin treatment too early and others wait too long…timing is critical. The visits to our office during this observation phase are quick and easy. I'll do a brief clinical exam and inform you of the progress.
There is no charge for these visits and we do our best to schedule them at times when both you and your child will not be inconvenienced.
PHASE I- EARLY GUIDANCE:
Sometimes this phase of treatment is referred to as "preventive" or "interceptive" treatment. Before I can plan specific treatment for this phase, I'll recommend that orthodontic records be completed in my Fort Collins office. During this phase of treatment, I'll usually need to see your child about every 1-4 months, depending on the type of therapy being used.
Parents often ask if early treatment will completely eliminate the need for braces in the future? Usually not. So why do early treatment? There are some great reasons why early guidance is advisable for certain patients. These are questions I ask myself before I recommend early treatment:
- If I start now, can I avoid the need to remove permanent teeth in the future?
- If I start now, can I simplify the orthodontics that will be needed in the future?
- If I start now, can I significantly cut down the time that the child will need to wear a full set of braces in the future?
- If I start now, can I expect to be able to influence the growth of the jaws in a positive way?
- If I start now, can I eliminate a problem that could do damage if left untreated?
If the answer to any or all of these questions is yes, Phase I treatment may be indicated. I'll only recommend this phase of treatment if I believe that the benefits of doing so will far outweigh the time, effort, and money it takes to accomplish the work.
If the answer to all of these questions is no, I'll probably recommend that we hold off on treatment until a later time.
PHASE II- FULL TREATMENT:
This is the phase of treatment that most people refer to as "braces." In most cases, I don't start this phase of treatment until all of the permanent teeth are visible.
I may wait a little longer to start braces than some orthodontists because I feel strongly that this phase of treatment should include all of the permanent teeth. If I begin to soon, treatment time with braces is either prolonged while we wait for the last teeth to come in, or treatment is discontinued before all of the teeth are present. Neither is a good policy!!
Before we begin full treatment, I'll recommend that current orthodontic records be completed in our Fort Collins office.
During this phase of treatment, visits are scheduled every 6-8 weeks. The appointments to get started take a little more time and are completed in the morning. As we go through treatment most adjustments are fairly short and can be completed throughout the day or after-school. We keep our after-school time free to do a lot of shorter visits and try to find a time that works best for all schedules. As we get further into treatment, we may ask for a longer appointment time to do a more detailed adjustment, these appointments will be scheduled earlier in the day.
PHASE III- RETENTION:
This portion of treatment is where the patient wears retainers. Teeth tend to move back to their original positions therefore, this phase of treatment is very critical. It's easy to feel like the work is over when the braces come off, but nothing could be further from the truth. I believe that orthodontics should be a once-in-a-life investment in the patient's health and appearance. Without retainer wear, this may not be the case. The best insurance for your orthodontic treatment is to make certain retainers are worn.
Don Jorgensen, D.D.S.
|
| |
