A lot of parents wonder when they should take their children to get their first checkup at the orthodontist. It is definitely a tough question considering that at a young age, it is hard to tell if your child’s teeth are growing correctly or if they are going to need some form of realignment. In order to be safe, it is best that you take your child to their first orthodontist checkup around the age of 8 years old. By this time, many adult teeth have started to grow in and the orthodontist will be able to tell if they may need braces in the future.
The Interceptive Approach to Braces
The great thing about getting your child to an orthodontist at a young age is that if there is an issue with the alignment of their teeth, the orthodontist can do something known as “The Interceptive Approach”. The interceptive approach is meant for children who are still losing their baby teeth. It is a two-step process that requires the use of dental instruments (non-braces) while they are losing their baby teeth and as their permanent teeth come in. The orthodontist will then switch them over to actual braces. This approach is known to take less time overall as opposed to going with braces from the start since realignment begins before the permanent teeth grew out.
What Happens If You Wait to Get Braces?
The last thing you want to do as a parent is not take your child to the orthodontist, especially if you can tell that their teeth may need realignment. Crooked teeth have been related to breathing conditions, facial development, and airway dysfunction. In addition, braces can have an overall impact on your child’s confidence in the future. While many children may not like that they have to wear braces, they are happy with their smile when once the alignment is complete.
Conclusion
If you have been wondering if or when your child needs to see the orthodontist, a good age for their first visit is around 8 years old. At that point, some of their permanent teeth have already settled in and the orthodontist will get a pretty clear picture of whether or not they will need realignment. It is also safe to note that the earlier on the orthodontist is able to catch any issues, the faster the realignment process will take. For more information, visit Cute Smiles 4 Kids!
