Oral health care should be a focus for children from the moment they are born. A dentist can help new parents optimize their child’s oral hygiene routine so they have a reduced risk of developing any oral problems or diseases. By the time your child turns 7-years-old, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that they visit an orthodontist to check their dental and jaw development. Dr. Gorlovsky and his team can go beyond the scope of dentistry and help your child with any issues involving oral misalignment and the problems that go hand in hand. Our team at Windermere Orthodontics has put together our top three reasons to bring your child to see an orthodontist.
Some Oral Problems Can Go Undetected
Parents will often be the first ones to notice that there is something wrong with their child’s oral development. It’s important to remember that by the time you can physically see a problem, there’s probably more issues going on beneath the surface.
Parents should note that dental development occurs at a different rate for every child, and so does the appropriate time to intervene with orthodontic treatment. When your child starts losing their baby teeth, it’s normally a good time to talk to your dentist about seeing an orthodontist. A referral from the pediatric dentist to the orthodontist is not a requirement, especially if you have concerns about your child’s dental development or there are any tongue or digit sucking habits. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a child is evaluated by an orthodontist starting at age 7.
Orthodontists Can Intervene Before Things Get Worse
By the time a child reaches 7 years of age, they will normally have an equal mix of both baby and adult teeth. This stage of your child’s oral development will give Dr. Gorlovsky a lot of information about their oral development. As adult teeth are still taking the place of baby teeth and the jaw is still growing, this stage serves as the perfect time to detect existing or developing problems. At this time, we can make recommendations on whether treatment is needed, when it might be needed, what form of treatment and the estimated length.
It’s important to remember that just because you bring your child in for an appointment does not mean that they will need to start orthodontic treatment right away. There are very few orthodontic problems that will need to be treated by the age of 7. If an orthodontist does find something of concern at a young age, most of the time you’ll only need to schedule a future appointment so we can check-in on the growth and development. As the saying goes, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
No Referral Needed
Parents often assume that they will need a referral to bring their child to an orthodontist, but this is not the case! In fact, at Windermere Orthodontics, we offer parents the opportunity to schedule their child’s consultation online by filling out our appointment request form! After you submit your form, our scheduling coordinator will contact you soon to confirm your appointment and your child will be one step closer to a healthier smile!
Bring Your Child To Our Cumming or Suwanee Orthodontic Office!
We want to help give your child the advantage of optimal oral health and encourage parents with any questions to call our Suwanee Orthodontic Office at (770) 599-5853 or our Cumming Orthodontic Office at (770) 599-5853. If you’re considering orthodontic treatment for yourself or a family member, please fill out our appointment request form to book your free consultation today!