Did you know that we can begin addressing orthodontic concerns for kids as young as age seven? At this stage, early interceptive orthodontics could allow us to guide the growth of the smile and prevent worsening alignment concerns. At your Frisco, TX, children’s dental practice, we can use space maintainers, retainers, and more to help improve little smiles!
When to See Our Team
If you begin to notice issues with the alignment of your child’s teeth, or if primary teeth have not been falling out as they should, then you should consider an appointment with our team. We can see children as young as age seven. At this stage, there is a mix of permanent and primary teeth in their smile, and can better gauge the risk of poor alignment in the future and plan treatment to mitigate it. To begin, we will employ advanced digital imaging technologies to take pictures of the smile, including the roots and jawbone structures, so we can assess the threat of misalignment and decide the best course of treatment for your child.
Our Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment Options
If primary teeth have been lost too soon, this could cause misalignment that alters how permanent teeth erupt, since the teeth on either side may no longer be able to guide them into proper position. But with a space maintainer, we attach a custom appliance that keeps the space open and allows the permanent teeth to erupt as they should. We could also create a custom retainer, which can be fixed in place or removable, to help guide the growth of the smile to limit the severity of misalignment. We could also provide a palate extender to guide smile development, and use limited braces to help shift the teeth into proper positions. In some cases, a tooth may need to be extracted to make room for orthodontic treatment, or to take out a primary tooth that hasn’t fallen out as it should.
Braces and Aligners
The interceptive stage is useful when the smile is still growing and the permanent teeth are still erupting, as we can guide the development of the smile to limit the severity of poor alignment. Once your child reaches the teen years, and all of the teeth have erupted and their surfaces properly calcified, we can complete treatment with braces or aligners to shift them to their final and proper position. If you have any questions about how we correct poor alignment, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help your little one smile with confidence!
SPEAK WITH YOUR FRISCO, TX, DENTIST ABOUT EARLY INTERCEPTIVE ORTHODONTICS
Our team wants to offer an even smile and better oral health for kids of all ages! To learn more about improving alignment for your young children, call Healthy Smiles Children’s Dentistry at (214) 436-4774.