The Best Time to Begin Treatment
A smile can be enhanced at any age, but for your child, there is an optimal time to begin treatment, when the results will be greatest and entail the least amount of time and expense.
Early Orthodontic Evaluation
Dr. Ingraham follows The American Association of Orthodontists recommendation that every child should have an orthodontic evaluation no later than age 7 or at the first sign of orthodontic problems. At this early age, orthodontic treatment may not be necessary, but Dr. Ingraham can monitor your child's dental development, and we can determine the best time to begin treatment.
The benefits of early examination are timely detection of problems and greater opportunity for more effective treatment. Using prudent intervention, Dr. Ingraham can guide growth and development, preventing serious problems later. If intervention is not necessary at the current time, we will monitor your child’s growth and development and begin treatment when the timing is right.
The Optimal Age of 7
The reason age 7 is considered the best time for a child’s first orthodontic examination is that the first adult molars have erupted, establishing the back bite. This is the ideal time for Dr. Ingraham to evaluate front-to-back and side-to-side tooth relationships. For some patients, timely screening will lead to significant benefits and means that your child will grow up with a beautiful smile. For others, the immediate benefit will be your peace of mind, knowing that your child’s teeth are erupting properly and his or her jaw growth is normal.
The Advantage of Early Treatment
The advantages of early treatment include:
- Influencing jaw growth in a positive manner
- Balancing the width of the dental arches
- Improving eruption patterns
- Creating space for crowded, erupting teeth
- Creating facial symmetry through jaw growth
- Reducing the risk of trauma to protruding front teeth
- Preventing unfavorable growth and uneven tooth wear
- Preserving space for un-erupted teeth
- Reducing the need for tooth extraction
- Reducing treatment time in braces
- Making teeth more easy to keep clean, which will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease
- Correcting harmful oral habits, such as tongue-thrusting habits
- Improving speech impediments
- Simplifying and/or shortening later treatment time
For a printout listing the Anticipated Benefits of Timely Treatment, click here.
Pre-Orthodontic Guidance Program
Because we believe in the importance of all children having an orthodontic screening by age 7 (or earlier if problems are present), we provide examinations, evaluations and consultations with Dr. Ingraham at no charge to our pre-treatment patients.
If treatment is not recommended at the time of this first examination, then we will give your child an appointment for a follow-up appointment at a later date. During this time, while Dr. Ingraham is keeping a close watch on your child’s orthodontic growth and development, watching for the proper time to begin treatment, all visits are complimentary (no charge). During this period of observation, your child can join our special club for patients who are waiting for treatment: the Incredible Kids’ Club! Click here for more information about our Incredible Kids Club.