Early Orthodontic Treatment across Newport Beach, Costa Mesa & Newport Coast is Healthy for Your Child
Many parents already understand that oral care is important for children as they grow and develop. At Starnes Orthodontics, we want our child and adult patients to also understand orthodontic checkups are vital to heading off serious issues not just with the teeth, but with the shape of the jaw and face as well. Early treatment with Newport Beach/Starnes orthodontics means spending less time and money later fixing problems that could have been caught early on.
When to Schedule a Screening and Why
The first orthodontic evaluation should be scheduled by the time a child turns seven years old, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. Evaluations can be scheduled earlier if there are signs of orthodontic problems. Seven is the ideal age for an initial assessment because that is when the first adult molars tend to erupt into occlusion, which establishes back bite and allows evaluation of tooth relationships. Whether or not you suspect your child has any orthodontic problems in development, we can evaluate his or her tooth and jaw development to make sure everything is on a healthy track.
Advantages to Interceptive Treatment
Orthodontics (Dentofacial Orthopedics) is the area of dentistry concerned with the supervision, guidance, and correction of the growing and maturation of dentofacial structures. Dr. Heidi Starnes does Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics to influence growth and modification. Our orthodontist can monitor children for all kinds of issues that can result from the way certain teeth erupt. Gummy smiles, overbite, open bite, and crowding are often indicated by erupting incisors in a seven-year-old. Early treatment to head off problems can help to reduce trauma, treatment times, and the possibility of tooth removal. It also allows us to preserve space for teeth that have not yet erupted, create room for erupting teeth, and influence jaw growth for facial symmetry.
Malocclusions, or bad bites, can also be identified and treated before they become more serious. Bad bites including crowded teeth, protruding teeth, crossbites, and open bites contribute to tooth decay, gum disease, chipping, uneven tooth wear, poor tooth growth, and speech impediments. While many patients envision braces when they think of the orthodontist, early treatment assists us in identifying teeth and jaw issues before they require extensive and expensive intervention.
Schedule a Free Consultation Today At Our Newport Beach Office!
Early orthodontic intervention can help your child remain healthier; it is much more than just the creation of a pretty smile. Even if there are no signs of orthodontic trouble by the age of seven, a checkup allows us to monitor a child’s growth to ensure the development of a healthy mouth. We can help children develop confident, beautiful smiles with early treatment. Schedule a free consultation for your child today by contacting us at our Newport Beach office. You can request an appointment online or simply give us a call at (949) 720-8145. We’ve transformed the smiles of many children across Orange County, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, & Newport Coast just like yours, and we would be thrilled to help you too!