Early Orthodontic Care for Kids | Lincoln Smiles Dental

7 min read

Orthodontics Starts Earlier Than You Think

Most people think of braces as a teenager's rite of passage, but optimal orthodontic care often begins years earlier. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. Early evaluation allows orthodontists to identify developing problems and potentially prevent them before they require extensive treatment.

At Lincoln Smiles Dental, Dr. Sepideh Rahmani and Dr. Polin Collins monitor children's dental development and recommend early orthodontic evaluation when appropriate. Early intervention can simplify or eliminate the need for more extensive orthodontic treatment later.

Why Early Orthodontic Assessment Matters

A child's jaw is still growing and developing. Some bite problems and alignment issues are apparent even when baby teeth are present. Identifying these issues early allows the orthodontist to guide jaw development in a favorable direction, potentially preventing problems that would otherwise develop.

For example, if a child has a significant overbite or underbite, early intervention can help guide jaw growth to reduce the severity of the problem. This interceptive treatment may reduce or eliminate the need for extensive orthodontics later.

Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment

Interceptive treatment involves using appliances or techniques to guide jaw development during the growing years. This might include palatal expanders to widen the upper jaw, functional appliances to help guide lower jaw growth, or selective tooth extraction to create space for erupting permanent teeth.

These interventions during the growing years can be far simpler and more effective than trying to correct established problems after growth is complete. A child whose jaw is guided into better proportions during growth may avoid serious bite problems.

Space Management

One of the most common issues orthodontists address in young children is crowding of erupting permanent teeth. As permanent teeth erupt, there's often insufficient space for all of them. Early identification allows space management through selective primary tooth extraction or other techniques.

Creating adequate space for permanent teeth to erupt properly reduces crowding and may significantly reduce the need for comprehensive orthodontic treatment later.

Habits and Their Effects on Development

Certain habits affect jaw development and tooth position. Thumb sucking, prolonged pacifier use, and mouth breathing can all create or worsen bite problems. Early recognition of these habits allows intervention to reduce their impact on dental development.

Breaking thumb sucking habits or addressing mouth breathing in young children prevents the dental problems these habits cause.

Benefits of Early Orthodontic Care

Early orthodontic intervention has numerous benefits. It may reduce or eliminate the need for comprehensive orthodontics later. When comprehensive treatment is needed, it's often simpler and shorter because the foundation has been improved.

Proper alignment of teeth and jaws improves oral hygiene, making it easier to brush and floss effectively. This reduces cavity and gum disease risk. Better alignment also improves chewing function and reduces stress on jaw joints.

Perhaps most importantly, early intervention sets the stage for lifelong oral health by establishing proper tooth position and bite relationships that support tooth longevity.

Comprehensive Orthodontics Later

Even children who receive early interceptive treatment often need comprehensive orthodontics during the teenage years when all permanent teeth have erupted. However, this comprehensive treatment is typically simpler, shorter, and may require fewer extractions than would have been necessary without early intervention.

Modern orthodontic options include traditional braces and clear aligners like Invisalign. The choice depends on the specific treatment needs and patient preference.

Long-Term Oral Health Impact

Proper tooth and jaw alignment has lifelong implications for oral health. Properly aligned teeth are easier to clean, reducing cavity and gum disease risk. Proper bite relationships reduce abnormal wear on teeth and stress on jaw joints.

People with properly aligned teeth and optimal bite relationships typically maintain better oral health throughout their lives and require fewer expensive restorative treatments.

Schedule Your Child's Orthodontic Evaluation

If your child is 7 or older and hasn't had an orthodontic evaluation, contact Lincoln Smiles Dental at (916) 543-8800 to schedule an evaluation. Dr. Rahmani and Dr. Collins can assess your child's dental development and recommend early intervention if appropriate, or assure you that monitoring is all that's needed at this time.

Early orthodontic care is an investment in your child's long-term oral health and can save money by preventing more extensive treatment later.