How Early Should You Consider Getting Braces?

Orthodontic treatment is one of the dental protocols that dentists recommend to begin early. Many pediatric dentists in Greeley, CO, recommend that children who need braces receive them in their early teen years. The earlier your child begins their orthodontic treatment, the higher the success rate, with a low chance of regression.

Understanding Orthodontic Treatment for Children

Children’s teeth can be moved in the early stages. At Toothtown of Greeley, we have found that the earlier the treatments begin, the better. The reason is that their jawbones are still growing. Therefore, they are more flexible in change and realignment procedures. If anything, orthodontics for children is quite popular that it feels like a rite of passage to wear braces as a child.

What Is the Best Age to Begin Treatment?

Dentists will recommend waiting for permanent teeth to start erupting before children can start wearing braces. Still, you do not have to wait until all your child’s permanent teeth erupt. Instead ensure your child visits a dentist more than once, for kids’ dental exams and cleanings in Greeley, CO. Although they may not need braces at age two or younger, they will benefit from meeting with an orthodontist early. Besides, only after a dental exam can a dentist know when it is best to recommend braces and whether your child needs them.

Other Orthodontic Treatments to Begin Before Wearing Braces

It is invaluable for a child to visit a dentist early. The comprehensive dental exams help you realize how much dental work is necessary for your child’s mouth. For example, when your child is highly prone to dental cavities and gum disease, usually between ages 6 and 14, they need to take up preventive measures.

In orthodontics, children do not always begin treatment by wearing braces. Instead, they can start by getting space maintainers. They are orthodontic oral devices that save space in the mouth for new teeth to erupt. These devices are crucial for children that lose their baby teeth prematurely. If they lose teeth too early, it leaves the child vulnerable to crooked, crowded, and misplaced teeth. The space maintainer ensures that teeth don’t fill up the space of the lost tooth until it erupts to take its place.

Palatal expanders are also orthodontic appliances that benefit children, aside from braces. They help adjust the jawbone, expanding it to create more space for all teeth to fit properly. It is also a great oral device for overcoming improper bites.

Tooth extractions can also be treatment protocols in orthodontic dentistry. A dentist may need to extract a stubborn baby tooth to make room for permanent ones. The stakes are higher if the new permanent tooth begins erupting before the baby tooth falls off. Further, some permanent teeth may grow improperly, remaining partially or wholly stuck underneath the gums. These teeth also need to be extracted before wearing braces.

Benefits of Early Orthodontic Care for Children

Even though orthodontic dentistry is not restricted to children only, they benefit a lot from the treatments thereof. Some of the reasons you should encourage your child to visit an orthodontist early in their life are:

1. Mitigating oral problems beforehand – your child does not need a crooked smile to begin orthodontic treatment. Instead, early orthodontic care ensures that your child does not develop those complications in the first place.
2. Better chance of attaining permanent results – since the child’s mouth is still growing, the bones and teeth are more flexible and adjustable. Kids may not even need to wear retainers for a long time after removing braces.
3. Building confidence from a young age – do not let your child wander off looking for different things to build their confidence. A beautiful smile is a great place to begin, ensuring your child can walk with their head up high from a young age.
4. Better oral hygiene – braces take a lot of upkeep compared to natural teeth. Your child may need to adjust their dental habits to account for their braces. When your child learns to take care of their braces, they master habits that help maintain healthy teeth even in old age.
5. Fewer dental problems – a child who begins orthodontic treatment early has a lower chance of oral diseases, like dental cavities and gum disease. Improved oral hygiene plays a big role in this. Besides, frequently visiting the orthodontist for checkups and adjustment of the braces equips the child to maintain excellent oral health.