Benefits Of Starting Orthodontic Treatment Early

Here’s how children can benefit from starting orthodontic treatment early

One big question parents are always asking about is when their children should start orthodontic treatment, and at what age. At Wiregrass Orthodontics, we offer the most comprehensive care to all ages. As a family-friendly office, we work with families that are seeking treatment for their children, even if it means starting young. As a parent, you may be wondering why it’s important to start orthodontic treatment for your child at a young age, and why it’s necessary. At Wiregrass, we have listed all the benefits of early orthodontic treatment.

• Not just for aesthetics: We want to ensure that children’s jaws and teeth are developing correctly so that their jaws can function correctly for biting, chewing, and speaking. If their jaw isn’t functioning properly, this can lead to problems, such as:
  • • Speech problems
    • Harder for brushing & flossing
    • Increased headaches
    • TMJ disorders
    • Increase in cavities and periodontal disease
    • Difficulty breathing

  These are just some of the things that could arise if you delay orthodontic treatment. By starting treatment early, we can minimize issues for the future.

• Prevent complications: The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child visit the orthodontist as early as seven. One of the reasons why they recommend this is to prevent complications from developing in the future. At Wiregrass, our orthodontist will be looking for crowding of teeth, open bites, crossbites, and overbites in your children. For children specifically, we offer a two-phase treatment plan so our orthodontist can track their progress as their teeth and jaws are growing.
• Attack problems that are invisible: While your child’s teeth may look perfectly straight, there still could be problems that are invisible to the eye. A baby tooth could still be intact when your child’s permanent teeth are still growing. Adult teeth can develop and grow in front, behind, and around the baby teeth. This will make the teeth more crowded and crooked. This is when orthodontic treatment becomes even more necessary to start.
• Your child will be more confident: Children can become very self-conscious of their smiles and looks. Unfortunately, as we grow into adolescents, there is more pressure to look perfect. Psychologically, one benefit of early orthodontic treatment is so that children can feel more confident and proud about their smiles. Visions of children being teased by their peers can be a daunting picture for children and parents to imagine. Peer pressure has now become one of the biggest factors of families seeking orthodontic treatment.

At Wiregrass Orthodontics, we strive to give high-quality care to all of our patients. We want all families to be educated about everything related to braces and orthodontics. If you're a parent that has questions about starting orthodontic treatment for your child, please feel free to contact us today! We are thrilled to be working with you and your family!