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When Is The Best Age To Start Orthodontics


Early Treatment In Sacramento

At Hoybjerg Family Orthodontics, we believe planning for your smile is one of the best investments you can make. Our Sacramento orthodontists, Dr. Christian Hoybjerg and Dr. Grace Woo, are dedicated to providing quality orthodontic care to our patients of all ages. Whether you decide on braces, Invisalign, or one of our other orthodontic treatments, a lifetime of healthy smiles begins with early treatment.

First Children’s Orthodontist Visit

According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), all children should visit an orthodontist by the age of 7. This age is ideal, because our Sacramento children’s orthodontist will be able to get the most accurate view of your child’s mouth. At this age, your child will have a mixture of both temporary (baby) and permanent (adult) teeth. As a result, in this initial screening, your children’s orthodontist can best determine whether there will be room for future teeth, analyze the bite and developing alignment, and prescribe any measures that can help your child’s mouth develop healthily.

Benefits of Early Treatment

As mentioned, early screenings allow for the most accurate, early detection of any orthodontic problems. If your children’s orthodontist discovers an issue, you will discuss treatment options. While most children don’t require orthodontic treatment until later on (around ages 11-14), your orthodontist will make a decision based on your child’s individual needs. Some benefits of early treatment include the following…

  • Quicker/Less-intrusive than treatment after your child stops growing
  • Guides permanent teeth into an ideal position while in early stages of development
  • Begins to correct misplaced teeth or misaligned bite
  • Improves facial symmetry
  • Supports and assesses healthy jawbone development throughout growth
  • Lowers the risk of damage to protruding teeth or buck teeth

Signs Your Child May Require Early Intervention

While all children should have an initial screening by age seven, there are reasons you may visit your Roseville or Sacramento orthodontist before that age. If you detect any of the following symptoms or behaviors in your child, you should visit your children’s orthodontist:

  • Difficulty chewing
  • Early or late loss of teeth
  • Grinding or clenching teeth
  • Thumb sucking for a prolonged period
  • Breathing through mouth only/most of the time
  • Biting into the cheeks or roof of mouth

Regardless of your child’s age, visit your Sacramento children’s orthodontist if you detect the aforementioned symptoms.

Contact Your Children’s Orthodontist

A healthy, beautiful smile can open doors for your child throughout their life. Let us help! Our children’s orthodontists look forward to providing initial screenings and early treatment to patients throughout the Sacramento and Roseville area. If you have questions about early treatment, braces, Invisalign, or any of our orthodontic treatments, please contact us today. We look forward to serving you and your family!

 

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