Solve your children's dental problems early at Apple Dental Care! Our family dentists offer early orthodontic intervention. Taking proper care of your children's teeth early can minimize the need for more invasive dental treatment in the future.
Early Orthodontic Treatment
The earlier your child starts going to the dentist, the better. In fact, it is recommended that a child is assessed by a dentist within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth or by age one.
Early visits allows your dentist to monitor the health and development of their oral structures as they grow. Many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected early rather than waiting until jaw growth has slowed.
Early orthodontic treatment is designed to minimize or eliminate the need for more invasive treatment or serious corrections later in life.
As your child is still growing and developing, their skeletal structure is still malleable making it possible to modify their jaw development and promote proper growth, which may help avoid the need for more invasive treatment or even surgery later in your child's development.
Straighten Teeth and Jaws Naturally with Myobrace
At Apple Dental Care, we also provide the Myobrace system, a no-braces approach to straightening your child's teeth and jaws.
Treatment uses myofunctional orthodontic techniques to address the poor oral habits (known as myofunctional habits) that are the real, underlying causes of crooked teeth and uses light, intermittent forces to align the teeth using a series of removable dental appliances that are worn for just 1-2 hours each day and overnight while sleeping.
Daily use of the Myobrace combined with regular activities (to improve breathing, muscle function and tongue posture) results in straighter teeth and improved function, leading to optimal facial development and a healthier smile.
Signs Your Child May Need Early Orthodontic Treatment
- Loss of baby teeth earlier or later than normally expected (your child should start losing teeth at age 5, and should have all permanent teeth at age 13)
- Mouth breathing
- Speech impediment
- Difficulty chewing and/or biting
- Thumb-sucking after age 4
- Protruding teeth (the top teeth and the bottom teeth extend away from each other)
- Teeth that don't come together normally or at all
- Shifting of the jaw when your child opens their mouth (cross bite)
- Crowded front teeth at age 7 or 8
Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment
Early orthodontic treatment:
- Encourages proper airway development
- Influences proper jaw growth and creates facial symmetry
- Creates space for crowded and erupting permanent teeth
- Reduces the need for permanent teeth extraction
- Can help reduce headaches and earaches
- Can help improve speech