Kid's Orthodontics
Some Kids Benefit From Early Intervention
Early orthodontics can correct bite, jaw, or tooth discrepancies to facilitate healthier smiles.
Would You Like to Book an Orthodontic Evaluation?
Kid's Orthodontics
When should children have their first orthodontic evaluation? The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) and Dr. Ricafort agree that it should be around age seven when the child’s firstmolars have erupted.
While most children wait until their teenage years to start orthodontic treatment, some benefit from early intervention. Early or phased orthodontic treatment can take advantage of a child’s growth patterns to correct bite misalignment or tooth crowding issues and minimize the need for more advanced treatment in the future.
What Is the Goal of Early Intervention?
Early orthodontic treatment aims to correct problems such as:
- Jaw discrepancies
- Tooth crowding
- Crossbites
- Underbites
- Overbites
With phased orthodontic treatment, Dr. Ricafort can use growth-modifying appliances, expanders, partial braces, or removable appliances to correct these concerns early on. Sometimes, he may combine treatments to achieve the desired outcome, such as partial braces with an expander.
Early intervention often makes tooth alignment more straightforward and efficient in the second phase of orthodontic treatment. It also helps us avoid problems that could be harder to correct later on, like proper jaw growth and bite alignment. For example, if an underbite is not corrected early on, an adult may have to rely on jaw surgery to properly align their bite.
Not every child needs early treatment. If your child is not a candidate for early intervention, Dr. Ricafort will reevaluate their teeth again around ages 11–12.
What Are the Benefits of Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment in Riverview?
The advantages of early orthodontic treatment are significant for those who need it.
- Reduces risk of injury or damage to protruding teeth
- Creates space for future adult teeth to prevent overcrowding
- Eliminates habits such as thumb sucking that can impact oral development
- Improves dental hygiene with a properly aligned bite
- Enhances self-esteem when a child can smile with confidence
- Minimizes the need for more extensive and complicated treatment later in life, such as jaw surgery
Early intervention typically doesn’t take too long; treatment may last for 6–12 months. Once we complete the first phase, Dr. Ricafort will monitor your child’s oral development until it’s time for phase two, typically around the ages of 12–13.
Are You Ready to Learn More about Your Child’s Smile?
If your child is between ages seven and nine, now is the ideal time to book their first orthodontic evaluation with Dr. Ricafort in Riverview, FL, to determine whether they might benefit from early intervention.
At Neighborhood Orthodontics, we value the trusting relationships we build with our patients. Whether your little one needs early intervention or not, Dr. Ricafort and our dental team look forward to serving your family for many years to come!
Contact our team at (813) 379-2003 to schedule an appointment or request one online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Children should visit their orthodontist for an evaluation around ages 7–9. Most kids won’t start orthodontic treatment until age 12, but an early evaluation will help us determine if your child could benefit from early orthodontic intervention.
Who Qualifies for Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Candidates for early intervention are children that have overly crowded teeth, jaw size discrepancies, or bite concerns, such as:
- Overbites
- Underbites
- Crossbites
Early intervention allows us to change their bite or jaw alignment while they’re still growing. Without early orthodontic treatment, this type of jaw movement and alignment for an adult would require surgery.
What Are the Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Children who have early intervention enjoy several significant advantages:
- Reduces risk of injury or damage to teeth that protrude
- Creates space for future adult teeth that would otherwise be overcrowded
- Eliminates habits such as thumb-sucking that can impact oral development
- Improves dental hygiene when the bite is aligned correctly
- Enhances self-esteem when a child can smile with confidence
- Prevents the need for more extensive treatment later in life, such as jaw surgery
If it’s time for your child’s first orthodontic evaluation in Riverview, FL, contact Neighborhood Orthodontics at (813) 379-2003 to book an assessment with Dr. Ricafort.
Several factors contribute to common orthodontic problems, and some cannot be prevented, such as genetics, jaw growth, trauma, or abnormal tooth eruption.
However, some factors impacting dental development can be avoided, such as thumb-sucking, excessive pacifier use, or tongue-thrusting. Parents can help children eliminate thumb-sucking or pacifier habits, while myofunctional exercises or therapies can help eliminate tongue thrusting.
Common Orthodontic Concerns
Some of the common problems orthodontic treatment in Riverview, FL, addresses are:
- Tooth crowding — When there is insufficient space for teeth, they may overlap. A palatal expander can help widen the jaw, making adequate space for the teeth.
- Abnormal eruption — When a tooth erupts in the wrong position, early braces may help move it into the correct alignment.
- Overjet — When the top jaw protrudes too far forward, which can be exacerbated by thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting.
- Overbite — Also called a deep bite, an overbite occurs when the top teeth bite way over the lower teeth, sometimes completely covering them.
- Crossbite — When one or multiple upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth. Jaw expansion can often help eliminate a crossbite.
- Underbite — When the lower teeth cover the upper teeth. Early palatal expansion can help the upper jaw grow into its correct position over the lower jaw.
- Open bite — When the upper and lower front teeth don’t meet, it creates space in between.
Contact your Riverview orthodontist at (813) 379-2003 if you have questions about common orthodontic concerns.
