As an orthodontist and a mother of three, I understand the importance of seeing your children with a big, warm and healthy smile! Keeping a beautiful smile lifelong requires dental care that should start early in life.
The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all kids should get an orthodontic check-up no later than age 7.
As a parent, you may not think of taking your 7 year-old child to an orthodontist, because most orthodontic treatment begins between the ages of 9 and 14. In addition, it is not always easy to tell when your child has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that seem straight may be hiding a problem bite. However, orthodontists can spot bite problems at an early age caused by differences in jaw growth or issues due to not having adequate space for permanent teeth. In these cases, orthodontic problems may be easier to correct when they are found early. Early orthodontic treatment can prevent more serious problems from developing and even reduce treatment time and difficulty at a later age.
Benefits of early treatment can include the following:
- Reducing the risk of trauma to flared front teeth
- Help in eliminating oral habits such as thumb sucking, which can cause an anterior open bite (upper and lower teeth that don’t meet)
- Help in correcting cross bites (when the upper teeth are biting “inside” the lower teeth) which causes wear on the teeth Growth modification to correct jaw growth discrepancies (when the jaw is too far forward or back)
- Preventing the loss of baby teeth too early or too late
- Preventing crowding or blocked-out teeth
- Guiding permanent teeth into a favorable and aesthetic position
- Improving appearance and self-esteem in your child
In some cases, even though a problem is detected at an early age, the orthodontist may not recommend immediate treatment and may want to check your child from time to time as the permanent teeth erupt and the jaws and face continue to grow. A trained orthodontist can help you choose the best time for your child to start treatment! Taking your child for a consultation with an orthodontist by age 7 is a great start to achieving a smile that is good for life.
BIO: Dr. Tamara Justus, DDS, MSD is a Board Certified Orthodontist that has treated patients from an age range of six to seventy nine years old! Dr. Justus obtained a masters degree and certificate in Orthodontics from the University of Washington in 1999. She then served as full-time faculty at the Department of Orthodontics at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) until opening her own practice, Justus Orthodontics, in 2006. She feels blessed by the opportunity to provide orthodontic care for her patients, to work with each child and family personally, and to help each child achieve the beautiful smile that will brighten their future forever. www.justusorthodontics.com
