The Right Time For An Orthodontic Check-Up
American Orthodontic Association recommends children should get their Orthodontic check-up by age seven.
Catching an orthodontic issue early allows the orthodontist to spot jaw growth problems. The jaw bone is the foundation for all the teeth. In some cases the jaw may not grow enough to accommodate all the permanent teeth resulting in cross bites, open bites, crowded and crooked teeth.
Orthodontists use jaw expanding appliances to guide the growth of the jaw bone in order to make room for permanent teeth. This is called Phase I Orthodontic Treatment.
Phase I Treatment with Jaw Expander Appliance
Before Image
After Image
Early Treatment Before & After
Non-surgical & Non-extraction Case: Early intervention eliminating the need for jaw surgery and extraction of permanent teeth phase 1 and phase 2 orthodontic treatment.
What Is Early Treatment?
FIRST PHASE TREATMENT WITH JAW EXPANDER
Children sometimes exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop. An upper and lower jaw that is growing too much or not enough or is too wide or too narrow can be recognized at an early age. If children over age 6 have these jaw discrepancies, they are candidates for the first phase orthodontic treatment.
Since children are growing rapidly, they can benefit enormously from the first phase of orthodontic treatment because specific appliances can be prescribed that direct the growth of their upper and lower jaws toward an ideal relationship.
Thus, a good foundation can be established providing adequate room for eruption of all permanent teeth.
Resting/Observation period
After Phase I is completed, all appliances are removed and the eruption of your child’s permanent teeth will be monitored at office visits about every four to six months. Retainers may or may not be recommended during this observation period.
What Is Early Treatment?
FIRST PHASE TREATMENT WITH JAW EPXANDERS
Children sometimes exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop. An upper and lower jaw that is growing too much or not enough or is too wide or too narrow can be recognized at an early age. If children over age 6 have these jaw discrepancies, they are candidates for the first phase orthodontic treatment.
Since children are growing rapidly, they can benefit enormously from the first phase of orthodontic treatment because specific appliances can be prescribed that direct the growth of their upper and lower jaws toward an ideal relationship.
Thus, a good foundation can be established providing adequate room for eruption of all permanent teeth.
Resting/Observation period
After Phase I is completed, all appliances are removed and the eruption of your child’s permanent teeth will be monitored at office visits about every four to six months. Retainers may or may not be recommended during this observation period.
Best Age for First Visit to an Orthodontist.
When is the best time to begin orthodontic care?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends parents take their child in for an initial orthodontic evaluation at no later than age 7. At this early age, orthodontic treatment may not be necessary, but vigilant examination can anticipate the most advantageous time to begin treatment.
Why is age 7 considered the optimal time for screening?
By the age of 7, the first adult molars erupt, establishing the back bite. During this time your Orthodontist can evaluate front-to-back and side-to-side tooth relationships. For 
example, the presence of erupting incisors can indicate possible overbite, open bite, crowding or gummy smiles. More importantly, your Orthodontist can check for narrow palates and high palatel vaults. Early screening increases the chances for not only an incredible smile, but a healthier active adult.
What are the benefits of early orthodontic evaluation?
Early evaluation provides both timely detection of problems and greater opportunity for more effective treatment. Prudent intervention guides growth and development, preventing serious problems later. When orthodontic intervention is not necessary, your Orthodontist can carefully monitor growth and development and begin treatment when it is ideal.
Early treatment can:
- Create room for crowded teeth.
- Create facial symmetry by influencing jaw growth.
- Reduce the risk of trauma to protruding front teeth.
- Preserve space for un-errupted teeth.
- Reduce the need for tooth removal.
- Reduce treatment time with braces.
Early intervention allows your Orthodontist to guide growth and development, preventing serious problems like extractions and jaw surgery in the future.
Oral Care: Myths and Facts
MYTH: Orthodontists are appropriate only for the most challenging and complex orthodontic cases.
FACT: Orthodontists have the education, experience and expertise to recognize the difference between a simple case and a complex one. And when a case is challenging, orthodontists know what to do.
MYTH: My family dentist says he can straighten my teeth.
FACT: Orthodontists receive more formal education than dentists to specialize in straightening teeth. Like dentists, orthodontists graduate from dental school. Then, to be an orthodontist, it takes an additional two to three academic years of education in an accredited orthodontic residency program. Orthodontists are dentistry’s specialists in straightening teeth and aligning jaws to create optimal function and form. Orthodontists only practice orthodontics. They treat hundreds of patients a year, drawing on tried-and-true and new orthodontic appliance technologies to get patients to the best results. Orthodontists have knowledge of the full range of orthodontic appliance “tools”—including braces, clear aligners and other orthodontic devices. They know what to use and when because they work with these tools every day. Orthodontists build on their knowledge of orthodontics through on-going continuing education in orthodontic technology and practice.
MYTH: Braces are for kids.
FACT: One in five orthodontic patients is an adult.
MYTH: If there was a giant, overhead magnet and someone flipped a switch, people wearing braces would fly out of their chairs and stick to the ceiling.
FACT: Unlikely, as braces are made from non-magnetic materials.
MYTH: Orthodontists charge more than general dentists for orthodontic treatment.
FACT: Fees for orthodontic treatment vary from practice to practice. Each doctor/practice, whether orthodontist or dentist, sets his/her own fee schedule.The value in seeing an orthodontist comes from being the beneficiary of the orthodontist’s education, experience and expertise in orthodontic care. And in getting a healthy, beautiful smile that’s good for life®.
MYTH: Braces are painful and take two years or more for the desired result.
FACT: After the adjustment period, like breaking in a new pair of shoes, braces are comfortable. Some may be worn for months, not years.
MYTH: Signals from braces link to the Internet to download songs onto an iPod.
FACT: This is not possible right now.
MYTH: Braces are ugly, call attention to themselves and would be embarrassing in business settings.
FACT: Today’s braces may be nearly invisible, made from clear plastic, or unseen, mounted on the back (lingual) side of the teeth.
MYTH: Orthodontists have a low profile
FACT: Orthodontists give back to the community by offering free, discounted, services to patients in need.
MYTH: Any dentist may join the American Association of Orthodontists
FACT: Only orthodontists may become members of the American Association of Orthodontists.
Resources About Oral Care
This section of our website is dedicated to providing information, and resources to help you obtain the best possible oral care for you and your family. We will be adding new content to this area on an ongoing basis.
Do you have a question about oral care that is not covered here?
If you do not find information about your topic of interest please click the “leave a comment link” above and send us a note to let us know what topics you would like us to address for you.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mark Sayed, DMD
(949) 493 3993
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