Early Orthodontic Treatment for Children in Lake Nona

Your family dentist may have discussed with you that it’s best for the orthodontist to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required. This is also the recommendation of the American Association of Orthodontists. We also believe that monitoring and treatment are vital to keeping your child’s teeth alignment in good condition until all their permanent teeth come out.

Children’s Teeth Alignment

As a premier orthodontic practice in Orlando, we understand that many growing kids experience issues in the alignment of their teeth and jaws. After all, the first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in by that time and crossbites, crowding and other problems can be evaluated. When left untreated, these orthodontic problems can lead to other serious dental issues once the child reaches the teenage years.

The Importance of Early Treatment

When treatment is begun early, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early treatment can simplify later treatment.

It’s never too late to begin orthodontic treatment – but when it comes to your child’s teeth, did you know that earlier may be better than later? There are several ways that kids can benefit from seeing an orthodontist at an early age. But it’s important to recognize that early evaluation isn’t necessarily followed by early treatment. If orthodontics work is needed, our orthodontist will simply monitor your child’s growth patterns until we see that it’s time for treatment to begin. This gives us an opportunity to get the best results in the most efficient way, and to help prevent future problems.