A pediatric dentist in Apollo Beach will recommend braces to treat crooked, overlapping or crowded teeth or malocclusions. Malocclusions are often referred to as a “bad bite.” Bad bites are caused by top and bottom jaws that are different sizes. When a child’s top jaw is larger than your child’s lower jaw, the resulting bad bite is called an overbite. When a child’s bottom jaw is larger than your child’s upper jaw, the resulting bad bite is called an underbite.
In addition to malocclusions caused by differences in a child’s jaw sizes, there are other factors that can contribute to tooth and jaw problems. Those include a child losing baby teeth prematurely, habits that can affect tooth development such as thumb sucking, and accidents or genetic influences.
When should your child see an orthodontist?
During your child’s regular dental checkups, pediatric dentists in Apollo Beach will closely examine the alignment of his growing teeth and any factors that could affect the future shape of his bite. Your child’s regular dentist is often the first person to notice that your child might benefit from early orthodontics in Apollo Beach and recommend an appointment with an orthodontist.
While your child’s regular dentist may notice potential orthodontic issues and recommend consultation with an orthodontist, your orthodontist will determine whether your child needs braces or whether a wait-and-see approach is appropriate.
What about a situation where your child’s regular dentist doesn’t recommend a consultation with an orthodontist? Should your child ever see an orthodontist just because? The American Dental Association and American Association of Orthodontists recommend that a child should see an orthodontist at approximately seven years of age, around the time that his permanent teeth begin to come in. At this age, your child’s orthodontist will be able to identify potential future orthodontic issues — even if your child’s pediatric dentist hasn’t pointed out any particular concerns.
What will happen when your child first sees an orthodontist?
At your child’s first appointment with an orthodontist, the orthodontist will perform a complete examination of your child’s teeth, jaw, and mouth. The orthodontist will ask your child to bite to see how his jaws line up. Your child will be asked questions like: do you ever have a hard time chewing? Ever have any problems swallowing? Have you ever heard any sounds in your jaw while chewing?
Depending on the results of your orthodontist’s initial examination, the orthodontist may take x-rays to see how your child’s baby teeth are positioned and how his permanent teeth are beginning to emerge. For the same reason, the orthodontist may make impressions of your child’s teeth to assess whether orthodontic treatment is required and what type of treatment might accomplish the best results.
If your orthodontist determines that early orthodontics in Apollo Beach might help your child, the orthodontist and their staff will identify the various options available. The most common form of orthodontics used to straighten a child’s teeth are traditional wire and metal braces that may use rubber bands. Your orthodontist may be able to offer clear or white alternatives to the traditional metal brackets. In some cases, depending on the condition of your child’s teeth and your child’s maturity, clear and removable aligners may also be used to make the alignment changes required.
If you’d like your child to receive the benefit of early orthodontics near you, ask your child’s dentist for a referral to an orthodontist or contact an orthodontist directly to arrange an assessment.