Dr. Estes and her team are committed to ensuring each patient and their families receive excellent care using state-of-the-art treatment options.
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends children visit an orthodontist around the age of seven. Most kids have a mixed dentition around these ages, meaning that they have both baby or primary teeth and permanent ones.
Considering children’s dental development is still ongoing at this early age, this time is ideal for diagnosing and intercepting jaw growth issues. Most children won’t require extensive work, but a teen orthodontist in Richmond might recommend a treatment strategy to prevent severe problems from developing at later ages.
Early treatment can be highly efficient and reduce the need for tooth extractions. Some patients avoid the need for jaw surgery altogether if they undergo Phase 1 Orthodontics.
If your child did not need phase 1 or did not have the opportunity to see an orthodontist at a young age, it’s not too late. Comprehensive orthodontic treatment and phase 2 orthodontics are not uncommon in patients in their late teens.
However, if at all possible, you should not wait for all of the permanent teeth to grow in before seeing a specialist like Dr. Estes, a provider of child orthodontics in Albany.
Keep an eye out for uncommon situations with your child’s teeth. Some clinical signs can point to more severe problems with your child’s dental health. If we address these problems at the right time, we could fix them more easily and prevent irreversible damage to the teeth, gums, and jaws.
It’s all about starting treatment at the right time. Dr. Estes will tell you when to start to let your child enjoy the most efficient treatment possible.
We like to follow along the general recommendations from the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) that states children should first visit an orthodontist by age 7 to help guide their dental development and avoid the onset of challenging orthodontic problems as the child grows into their teenage years.
Because of how closely related teeth are with your kid’s day-to-day activities, you may notice they begin to develop difficulties chewing, talking, or breathing. Snoring, clenching their teeth, and tooth grinding at night are all signs that your child might be developing orthodontic problems that require help from a specialist. Likewise, if you or the other parent have a history of malocclusions, your child will most likely develop those as well.
The first thing parents should consider is if they have a medical history of malocclusions or any orthodontic problems in their family. These problems are hereditary, and children with that history in their family should visit an orthodontist as soon as possible to get ahead of the curve and prevent the onset of challenging and complex conditions.
It’s simple. If you wish to set up an appointment with Dr. Estes, you just have to click on the button at the top of the page or give our office a call at (510) 525-1772. We’ll be glad to welcome you into our family and work for that smile you want to have.
Dr. Estes and her team are committed to ensuring each patient and their families receive excellent care using state-of-the-art treatment options.