Deciding when is the right time to start orthodontics for your kids can be tough. As your child's teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth, your child's mouth can look like it is in need of drastic dental work. So, when is the right time to look at orthodontics to correct bite and teeth problems?

Deciding When to First Seek Treatment

Children lose their teeth at different rates. However, your child's first orthodontic exam should be before he or she loses all of the baby (also called primary) teeth. Why? By looking at the remaining baby teeth and where permanent teeth have already started to come in, an orthodontist can identify problems that may require early treatment.

So when are there enough permanent teeth coming in to take your child in for a visit? There is no exact science on this question. In general, your child should have an appointment before he or she turns seven. Near seven, there is generally a good sampling of baby and permanent teeth to examine.

Topics for Your First Conversation

Like many parents, you have probably been observing the loss of teeth pretty closely, if for no other reason than to have enough tooth fairy gifts on hand. This observation means you know your child's mouth pretty well. Questions you may have for your first visit include:

• Are the teeth in your child's mouth too crowded?
• Did your child lose too many baby teeth too soon?
• Is your child's jaw spacing too small, indicating under-development in the jaw?
• Is there anything that can be done about your child grinding his or her teeth at night? Should you be worried about it?
• Why are your child's teeth protruding?

What Comes Next

Once you have had your child's first orthodontist visit, you will have some followup steps from the orthodontist. These next steps are really dependent upon what the orthodontist discovers. Your followup could range from doing nothing to scheduling appointments to address problem areas discovered during the visit. Problem areas could include:

• Severe crossbite: this is when the mouth is closed, and the upper teeth are inside the lower teeth. It is often treated by a palatal expander.
• Severe crowding: this occurs when the jaw is too small for all of the permanent teeth and is often treated by expanding the palate.
• Protruding teeth: these are teeth that stick out too far and can increase the likelihood of fractured or chipped teeth; these would likely be treated later by braces or headgear.

Going to the orthodontist for the first time does not have to be stressful. By knowing the range for when to have a first visit and what to expect, both you and your child can approach the visit with confidence.

For more information, contact Cazes Family Dentistry LLC or a similar location.