Early Orthodontic Treatment
What is Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Early orthodontic treatment, which is sometimes referred to as inceptive treatment, involves helping to straighten and align your child’s smile while they still have some of their primary (baby) teeth. With this type of treatment, we are able to improve your child’s smile and prevent the need for more invasive or complex orthodontic treatments later on. With some permanent teeth coming down into place, we can create an early treatment plan that is specific to their needs.
Why might Early Orthodontic Treatment be needed?
There are a few reasons for why your child might benefit from or need early orthodontic treatment. One benefit is that early treatment helps to prevent the permanent teeth from becoming severely crowded or crooked. In turn, this can prevent the need for more invasive work later on when all of the permanent teeth are already in place. Early orthodontic treatment is ideal for children who still have some baby teeth, but who also have some of their permanent teeth in place.
Who is a candidate for Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Most young children are good candidates for early orthodontic treatment. In fact, this option is preferred because it is less invasive to children and prevents the need for more complex treatments later on. We can examine your child’s smile to determine if they might benefit from this type of treatment. We recommend that if your child would benefit from early orthodontic treatment, that they come in for treatment as soon as possible.
What can be expected with Early Orthodontic Treatment?
The process begins with a complete exam and consultation. We will take x-rays of your child’s teeth to determine the positioning of the underlying permanent teeth. We may recommend braces or other orthodontic appliances in order to help keep the developing permanent teeth perfectly in place. This prevents the teeth from becoming crooked or crowded as they come down through the gums. Early orthodontic treatment is great for young children who may have major orthodontic problems because of malocclusion and bite habits.
If you think your child would benefit from early orthodontic treatment, call us today so that we can get them in for a consultation appointment.
