It seems it was only yesterday when your child was a wee infant. Now that they’re growing up fast, it’s high time you keep up with their oral health and see if there’s anything wrong with their smile. At Topsmiles Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we highly encourage parents to let their child see an orthodontist.
With our various treatment options and child-friendly orthodontic care, your little one will leave our office with a blooming smile.
Does My Child Need to Be a Teenager to See An Orthodontist?
Not necessarily — orthodontics is for everyone. That means children, teens, and adults in Winnipeg can have their smile problems treated by our expert orthodontist, Dr. Alvaro Salles.
But as they say, the earlier, the better. Although orthodontics knows no age limit, our caring smile team and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommend having your child seen by an orthodontist by seven years old. Because your little one has enough permanent teeth, we can check for orthodontic problems and provide early orthodontic treatment while they’re still young.
What Is Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Early orthodontic treatment is also called interceptive orthodontics. Aimed at kids between the ages of six and nine, interceptive orthodontics is conducted when your child has reached the mixed dentition phase. This is when their permanent teeth start erupting and replacing their baby teeth.
Hence, the goal of interceptive orthodontics is to correct bite problems and ensure proper jaw development. By having your kiddo undergo early treatment, we’re not just straightening their teeth. We’re also improving their long-term oral health and setting them up for a lifetime’s worth of beautiful smiles. In addition, it saves your kid from going through surgery or tooth extraction.
We appreciate taking your child to Topsmiles Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics for early orthodontic treatment, but take note that we consider the following factors before we begin treatment:
- Severity of your kid’s orthodontic issue
- Family and medical history
- Your child’s habits
4 Reasons Why Your Child Needs to See An Orthodontist
Your Child Breathes Through Their Mouth: Normally, we breathe through our noses. But there are times when mouth breathing is just a “better” way to breathe, and that is when your child has a cold. However, it’s a different story when your kiddo couldn’t stop breathing through their mouth.
For Dr. Vodrey and Drs. Alvaro Salles and Adriana Salles, this is a symptom of a malocclusion. If left untreated, frequent mouth breathing can cause sleep apnea, dry mouth, and poor jaw and facial development.
With the help of our metal braces, clear braces, or clear aligners, we can improve your child’s nasal airflow to promote better facial harmony and ensure their overall health.
Your Kid Loves Sucking Their Thumb: What’s not to love about thumb-sucking? For babies, this habit provides them relief and security. It’s normal, and babies often stop sucking their thumbs when they’re two to four years old.
However, this habit is no longer cute when your child continues to suck their thumb beyond five years of age. Frequent and vigorous thumb-sucking affects the alignment of their teeth, increasing their risk of an overbite (upper teeth are farther than the lower teeth) or an underbite (lower teeth are farther than the upper teeth).
While there’s merit in identifying the triggers behind your child’s thumb-sucking, there’s no harm in seeking expert advice. With our team’s vast experience in orthodontics, you can count on us to prescribe the appropriate treatment to help break your child’s thumb-sucking habit.
Your Child Has Overcrowded Teeth: Dental crowding is a type of malocclusion characterized by abnormal teeth positioning. Caused by thumb-sucking, dental trauma, or lack of space in the jaw, overcrowding results in cavities, periodontal disease, and jaw aches. Thankfully, dental crowding can be corrected with braces and clear aligners.
Although we understand the appeal of clear aligners on your kid’s developing smile, these appliances are more effective in addressing mild to moderate crowding. For severe crowding, we usually go with braces.
You Notice Large Spaces Between Your Kid’s Teeth: Gapped teeth are a normal (and cute) part of your child’s development. Usually, the gaps close by themselves when adult teeth erupt. However, it only becomes a problem when there are large gaps between your little one’s teeth.
This could mean three things: Missing teeth, undersized teeth, or a large labial frenulum — a tissue found in both the upper and lower lip and gums. Don’t worry, our expert team will assess your child’s teeth and craft a personalized treatment plan that perfectly fits their needs.
Your Child’s Smile Is In Our Hands
No matter their age, your little one deserves a beautiful smile. We are a friendly and caring clinic with high-caliber orthodontists, so you can be sure your child will receive comfortable and professional treatment.
Ready for your free consultation? Contact Topsmiles Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics today to schedule your appointment. We hope to see you soon at our St. Anne’s Road or Portage Avenue office in Winnipeg.