Why Should My Child See An Orthodontist?

Dr. Bob Bryan and the professionals at Lehigh Valley Orthodontics near Auburn, PA know that a thorough dental evaluation will reveal how your child’s teeth and mouth are growing. To evaluate how a child’s teeth are developing, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that every child get an examination with either a dentist or orthodontist by age 7. There are many reasons why you should have a dentist or an orthodontist examine your child’s mouth while they still have their baby teeth.

The Benefit of Early Intervention

Many orthodontic patients receive better treatment outcomes when a problem is identified and corrected early on. For youngsters especially, a consultation with a qualified orthodontist may indicate where and how a young patient’s permanent (adult) teeth will grow in by examining the arrangement of the teeth and jaw while the primary (baby) teeth are still present in the child’s mouth.

Dr. Bob Bryan and the professionals at Lehigh Valley Orthodontics near Auburn, PA have years of experience with children’s orthodontic treatment. A consultation from the Lehigh Valley Orthodontics team also will give you the opportunity to become more familiar with the options for treatment that might become necessary as your child continues to grow.

Conditions to Watch For

A dentist or orthodontist can identify and correct several conditions with orthodontic treatments such as:

• Crowding

• Open Bite

• Cross Bite

• Deep Bite

• Spacing

• Teeth emerging out of position

Interceptive Treatment

Interceptive treatment is designed to treat a problem before it becomes a problem, making current orthodontic treatment easier and possible future treatments less invasive.Your child may need interceptive treatment for any progressing orthodontic problems.

Phase One of Treatment

Dr. Bob Bryan will examine his young patient and evaluate how your child’s teeth will develop after they lose their primary teeth. He will then work to guide the growth of the jaw and to make room for newly emerging teeth, so that crowding of the teeth won’t occur. This will also lower the risk of damage to any new teeth that are protruding or are starting to protrude.

Phase Two of Treatment

This phase usually involves treatment with braces. Braces are designed to move your child’s permanent teeth into their correct final positions and to improve teeth function and facial appearance.

Give your child the smile they deserve!

Problems that can be treated in a growing child may relieve the patient of more radical and intrusive orthodontic measures later on in life. A child’s growth rate and their orthodontic treatment approach are meant to progress concurrently. The Lehigh Valley Orthodontics team agrees that by timing orthodontic treatment with your child’s stages of development, Dr. Bob Bryan can make treatment easier by taking advantage of your child’s rate of growth.

Dr. Bob Bryan and the team at Lehigh Valley Orthodontics near Auburn, PA can help answer any questions that you might have about children’s orthodontics. To schedule a consultation, call: (610) 562-5185