Why Age 7?
The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends children get their 1st orthodontic check-up at age 7. Here at Orthodontics by Bradford, Drs. Stephen and Colby Bradford emphasize the importance of early evaluations, as seeing children at an early age provides a wealth of information. With early detection, it provides significant benefits such as:
- Correct oral habits like thumb sucking and tongue thrusting that may be impacting your child’s teeth and jaw
- Improve bite and the way lips meet, optimizing facial appearance later in life
- Guide jaw growth
- Shorten the length of treatment needed as a teen or adult
- Identify protruded front teeth and reduce the risk of trauma
- Assist permanent adult teeth into a better position
- Eliminate or reduce the need for corrective surgery as a teen or adult
- Improve speech by correcting bite and lip alignment
- Give your child a beautiful, confident smile and boost in self-esteem
Embracing Every Stage: Comprehensive Treatment
Orthodontic Treatment can be a crucial part of your child’s oral health care. Braces and clear aligners are common orthodontic treatments used to correct various dental concerns:
- Alignment of teeth
- Bite Correction
- Jaw Alignment
- Preventive care
Treatment with braces or aligners can prevent future dental concerns. Crowded or misaligned teeth are harder to clean effectively, increasing the risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues. While braces or aligners have cosmetic benefits the primary purpose is to address functional and oral health concerns. The beautiful smile that can come from child and teen orthodontic treatment is the outward sign of good oral health and sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy teeth.