The benefits of Orthodontic Treatment for Children and Adults
Orthodontic treatments can be done at any age.
Dental experts recommend that every child should undergo an orthodontic screening the moment the first symptom of orthodontic issues are detected, usually around the age of 7 years. 
At Orion Dental’s offices in Milton and Scarborough, a thorough examination is performed so that it can be determined when it is best to start treatment.
Early assessment of a child’s dental condition is very crucial in orthodontics. This is because, by the time a child is 7, the first adult molars begin to grow. This is when their back bite begins to be established, and an orthodontist can assess how side-to-side and front-to-back teeth relate.
For instance, the existence of growing incisors can be a sign of potential overbite, crowding, or gummy smiles. This is why it is important to create a treatment plan for your child before their jaw is fully developed, or they have had all their permanent teeth fully grown.
It will not only be helpful in saving time and money but also enhance their self-confidence. Where there is no need for early orthodontic intervention, growth and development are carefully monitored and treatment initiated at the right time.
Early Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontic problems such as protruding teeth or bad bites or crowding of the teeth in children could be genetic, they could have been caused by the too early or too late loss of baby teeth, or even because of thumb-sucking habits that weren’t corrected early.
Some children can gain a lot from early orthodontic therapy when they are about 8 or 9 years old, followed by the next phase of treatment when they are between 11 and 12.
Generally, your child should start losing baby teeth at about 5 years of age and have all permanent teeth in by about the age of 13.
Usually, orthodontic treatment for children starts after they have lost all their baby or primary teeth and most of their adult or permanent teeth have grown in. This would usually occur in the ages between 8 and 14. A benefit if treatment starts in this age band is that interceptive care can take advantage of the growth of your child and guide the intended results as your child grows naturally in this period.
The interceptive approach involves using dental appliances and not necessarily dental braces at an earlier age, even while a child still has mostly baby teeth. Then, when a child has their adult teeth, the second phase of treatment is started, usually with dental braces. This second phase could be shorter than a traditional treatment plan of braces if the early first phase treatment has been done.
Early orthodontic treatment aims at correcting the uneven growth of the jaws, as well as other bite problems that are developing. The benefit of beginning treatment early is to correct the growth of the jaw as well as problems like an underbite. Early treatment also enhances the ability for permanent teeth to come in properly, which reduces the need of extractions in the future. There are some cases where your dentist will be in a better position to help achieve outcomes that may otherwise be impossible after the face together with the jaws has completed their growth.
Children may benefit from this two-phased process. The following are some of the more prevalent conditions:
Crossbite, the place where the upper teeth close inside their lower counterparts
Serious crowding, a situation where the jaws are unable to accommodate the permanent teeth that are erupting owing to their small size
Serious underbite, a condition whereby the lower jaw grows bigger than its upper counterpart.
How to know if your child needs early orthodontic treatment
- Either the early or late loss of baby teeth.
- The most obvious sign perhaps is that of either protruding teeth.
- An equally visible sign is that your child has crowded front teeth.
- Your child shows difficulty chewing.
- Your child tends to breathe through his or her mouth.
- Your child continues sucking his or her thumb after age five.
- Your child has a problem biting – the child’s teeth dont come together to bite cleanly.
- Your child appears to have a cross bite – the shifting of the jaws when your child opens or closes his or her mouth.
- Your child appears to have a speech impediment.
Your family dentist at Orion Dental believes that everyone deserves straight teeth and attractive smiles.
If you feel your child can benefit from orthodontic treatment, don’t wait. Please contact us to book a consultation with your Milton Dentist at Orion Dental Milton 905-636-9770 or your Scarborough Dentist at Orion Dental Scarborough 416-291-0306. We will do a comprehensive evaluation, provide you with appropriate recommendations, and explain to you options available.
