Early treatment isn’t just about fixing visible smile issues – it’s about setting your child up for a lifetime of healthy smiles. With a variety of options tailored to your child’s unique needs, LUV Braces is here to bring a smooth, comfortable, and effective orthodontic experience. Let’s look into how early orthodontic treatment tackles problems early in your child’s smile.
Understanding Early Orthodontic Treatment
Early orthodontic treatment is a proactive approach to dental care that focuses on correcting jaw and teeth alignment issues as your child is still growing. It’s an important type of treatment as it addresses problems that, if left untreated, could lead to more complex issues in the future.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. This might seem early, but your child has a mix of baby and permanent teeth at this age. This lets us spot any potential issues that could arise before they become more serious.
If we do spot trouble on the horizon, we’ll begin coming up with a plan to guide the development of the jaw and make sure there’s enough space for permanent teeth to come in. It’s our goal at LUV Braces to set your child on the foundation for a lifetime of confident smiles.
Why Your Child Needs Early Treatment
At LUV Braces, we believe it’s best to catch your child’s potential orthodontic issues early for the best results. Knowing when your child needs early orthodontic treatment depends on certain signs we’ll be looking for on their first consultation.
The signs we look for include:
- Difficulty Chewing or Biting
- Crowded or Misplaced Teeth
- Jaw Misalignment
- Thumb Sucking & Other Harmful Oral Habits
- Early Or Late Loss of Baby Teeth
If we notice any of these signs, we may recommend starting your child’s treatment. Early detection is the key to a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime.
Our Early Orthodontic Treatments
At LUV Braces, we’re here to provide you with comprehensive and compassionate orthodontic care for your child. Understanding the variety of treatments and approaches we offer can help you make informed decisions about your child’s oral health.
Choosing The Best Time For Treatment
While we recommend that your child visits us for the first evaluation by age 7, their smile may not be just ready for orthodontic treatment. We’ll usually begin orthodontic treatment between ages 9 and 14 to address issues early to guide jaw growth, lower the risk of trauma to their smiles, and guide permanent teeth into their best positions.
When they are ready for treatment, we’ll create a personalized plan that approaches their smile with what makes it unique in mind. Orthodontic treatments aren’t one size fits all, and your child will have one that’s the perfect fit. Let’s take a closer look at our common early treatments:
Metal Braces
Our most common choice for early orthodontic treatment is metal braces, which are highly effective in correcting a wide range of orthodontic issues. Metal braces use continuous pressure on the teeth to gradually and gently move them into the perfect position.
Metal braces use two main pieces to guide the smile: the brackets and the archwire. Brackets are small metal anchor points we attach directly to the teeth. Once placed, we’ll then work the archwire to connect all the brackets along the top row of teeth and another along the bottom row of teeth. The archwire is the guide to move the teeth into place gently.
Appliances
For more specific cases, we may use different appliances to help adjust your child’s smile. These can include:
- Space maintainers that keep lost tooth gaps open until the permanent tooth is ready to emerge.
- Palatal expanders to help widen narrow upper jaws to create more room for their teeth.
- Headgear and other types of growth devices that help guide still-growing bones and muscles to their right spots.
Pediatric Dentistry
At LUV Braces, our comprehensive care includes pediatric dentistry led by Dr. Chen. Your child will experience more than a regular orthodontic visit. They’ll have a detailed evaluation to keep their teeth growing healthy and cleaned throughout.
In cases where we recommend a tooth needs to be extracted, you won’t need to worry about finding another office to go to. Our goal is to make your time with us comfortable and straightforward.
Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment
Starting your child’s orthodontic journey at the right time with the right treatment can make their smile not only look great but also healthy. Here are the key advantages of early treatment.
Prevents More Serious Problems: The biggest issue that early treatment addresses is tackling problems before they become more complicated. This not only avoids the need for more aggressive procedures in the future but also more costly ones.
Guides Jaw Growth: With your child’s jaw still growing, we’re able to promote a better bite and alignment, which keeps the teeth, the mouth, and your child happy.
Reduces Treatment Time: By tackling issues early, the total time your child might need to wear braces or other appliances can be significantly reduced.
Improves Oral Hygiene: Correctly aligned teeth are easier to clean and reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease.
Your Child’s Best Start at LUV Braces
Don’t wait for small issues to become big problems. Schedule your child’s first consultation with LUV Braces in Austin and Bee Cave today and take the first step towards a lifetime of beautiful, healthy smiles. Let us be a part of your child’s journey to a confident smile.