Early Orthodontic Screening in Melissa, TX
Let’s Prevent Crooked Teeth and Make Referrals Easier
As parents, we always want the best for our children, and that includes protecting their smiles. To help ensure your child develops a healthy, beautiful smile, our Melissa, TX pediatric dentist offers complimentary screening for orthodontic treatment so we can give an appropriate referral to a specialist when ready.
Together, we can find and prevent misalignment and guide your child to the best treatment. We recommend scheduling an early orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven or sooner if you see warning signs of malocclusion.
Dental issues to look out for in kids:
Some problems in kids are best treated at a young age to prevent issues from getting worse and are more expensive to treat down the road. Whether caused by an inherited problem, bad habits, an accident, or dental disease, we’re here to help you find the right specialist care for your child.
Benefits of Early Start Orthodontic Screening
By finding misalignment issues early, we can refer your child to the best orthodontist for early interception. Together, we can guide your child’s teeth and jaw growth for a healthy, straight smile into adulthood.
Early intervention through orthodontic screenings helps prevent more serious problems and dental procedures in the future. In addition, some issues can be fixed early through simple space maintainers or extractions vs. complex braces and surgery.
We use the most comfortable treatments and aim to make any future procedures less invasive. Pediatric dentists are specifically trained to make space or maintain space due to early or premature tooth loss. We then work with orthodontics for more complex cases.
FAQ about Early Orthodontics
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What is early orthodontic screening?
Early start orthodontic screening focuses on the growth and development of a young child’s smile, including the teeth and jaw. It’s designed to help kids who still have all or some of their primary teeth.
The goal is to create your child’s straight, beautiful, and functional smile in the easiest and most efficient way, and we’ll refer you to a board-certified orthodontist at the appropriate time if needed. Through these checkups, our pediatric dentist helps prevent improper alignment or growth of adult teeth.
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How early is too early for braces?
While braces and aligners help patients of all ages, including kids, teens, and adults, we recommend kids receive an orthodontic evaluation at a young age. A straight smile can change your child’s life by boosting confidence and making hygiene easier, so be sure to schedule an exam by the age of seven.
According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), every child should receive an orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven or earlier if there are signs of crowding, large spacing, or abnormal growth of teeth.
Every child is different, but the first permanent molars typically start to emerge around the age of six, allowing us to understand the basic alignment of your child’s teeth. This helps us determine if there’s enough room for adult teeth and if any monitoring, space maintenance, or an orthodontist referral is required.
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When is the best time to start orthodontic treatment?
Every smile is unique, which means every orthodontic journey is personal. The best time to start your child’s treatment plan depends on the existing issue and the child’s development.
Our kid’s dentist will help you understand if early intervention is necessary with an orthodontist. This early intervention helps make treatments easier, less invasive, more effective, and more comfortable.
If you haven’t done so, please schedule your young child’s first ortho screening to ensure you don’t miss an important window of opportunity. Our pediatric dentist in Melissa, TX offers our young patients complimentary orthodontic screenings when the time is right!
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What is the best age for braces?
The best age for braces depends on the person. While many misalignment issues are treated with braces or Invisalign clear aligners once all the permanent teeth erupt, some problems are best treated during jaw development.
Early start orthodontics helps prevent alignment issues from getting worse or more costly to treat in the future. This is also known as phase one orthodontics and focuses on the development of incoming teeth.
Some cases require phases one and two for kids, but the second part is typically much easier and shorter when combined with phase one. Phase two focuses on the alignment of permanent teeth and is sometimes completed on its own in older children and adults.
Please contact us to learn more, and find out if your child needs early intervention or an orthodontist referral.
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How do I know if my child needs braces?
Some signs your child needs braces may be hard to spot, while others are easy to see.
Pediatric dentists and orthodontists recognize even the most subtle signs that your child needs braces, so we recommend scheduling an orthodontic screening at Melissa Pediatric Dentistry in Melissa, TX today.
Problems to watch out for in children:
- Protruding teeth
- Crossbite or underbite
- Extra or missing teeth
- Severe crowding or spacing
- Thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, or mouth breathing
