We hope you and your family are doing well during this time, and hope you are safe and in good health. Due to our current situation, you may be thinking about the doctor or dental appointments you’ve missed and need to reschedule. In particular, if you’ve been meaning to have your child’s teeth looked at for reasons such as overcrowding or crooked teeth, or if they have a bite that seems of concern, we would like you to know that we start seeing children as young as 7 years old for orthodontic treatment. In fact, early orthodontic intervention can be quite beneficial. Read on to find out why.
It’s around the age of 7 that children have enough permanent teeth to treat them with orthodontics. We treat children with early warning signs of a complication with their teeth or their bite, such as:
- The upper and lower teeth don’t meet when the child bites down
- Top teeth stick out further than the bottom teeth
- The upper teeth fit behind the lower teeth when they bite down
- Your child has habits such as finger sucking, mouth breathing or they stick their tongue between their teeth when they swallow
- Permanent teeth are coming in crowded
- Your child complains of headaches or earaches, which can be caused by a misaligned bite or teeth grinding
- Enlarged tonsils and adenoids can often be the cause of snoring and sleep apnea (children stop breathing several times per hour all night). Dr. Rondeau will consult with an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist) to get enlarged tonsils and adenoids removed.
- If the child is a Mouthbreather, it is important to use intra-oral appliances to painlessly expand the upper arch to encourage nasal breathing. This is extremely important in helping solve children’s sleep problems.
These dental conditions are sometimes easier to treat when the child is younger and their bone structure is still developing. Early intervention can help create a beautiful smile, prevent the need to remove permanent teeth, and make future orthodontic treatments less complex and lengthy.
After all, the ultimate goal is to make sure your child has a broad smile that makes them feel confident. The earlier we can begin that process, the better!
We look forward to seeing you and your family again, and in the meantime we wish you good health.
