When should your child have their first orthodontic screening?

According to the Australian Dental Association, children should start visiting the dentist when a baby’s tooth becomes visible or they reach one year old.

But did you know they also recommend ALL kids may benefit from having a  preventative orthodontic assessment between the ages of seven and 10 years old?

That may sound young, but prevention is always better than cure when it comes to your child’s oral health. 

By seven years old, most children have a mix of adult and baby teeth, which will help the dentist to determine if there are any developing problems such as misalignment of the jaws, crowding, or overbites.

What are the signs my child should have an early orthodontic evaluation?

Sorry to say this Mum and Dad, but many orthodontic problems in your kids are inherited.  Here are a few common ones to watch out for:

• Difficulty biting or chewing
• Speech impediments
• Mouth breathing and snoring
• Late or early loss of baby teeth due to decay or trauma
• Continuing to suck the thumb after the age of 5
• Teeth that fail to meet properly
• Protruding teeth
• The jaw shifts when your child opens or closes their mouth
• Crowded front teeth.

Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. A bad bite can also cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, difficulty in chewing and /or speaking, and excess stress on bones and gums.

Without treatment, many problems become worse and can require additional and more costly dental care later in life.🤑

What are the benefits of early treatment?

One thing for certain is that an early orthodontic evaluation is always a really good idea.

It allows us to check if there are any problems present, and talk you through the best course of action to put you and your child’s minds at ease.🌈

Early preventative treatment provides an opportunity to help:

• Guide jaw growth
• Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
• Correct harmful oral habits
• Improve appearance
• Guide permanent teeth into a more favourable position.

At Taree Dental Care we have a special interest in treating orthodontic problems in children. 👪

The idea of an initial visit is for a ‘screening.’  This is where Dr Dan or a member of his dental team will examine and assess your child’s growing face, teeth, and jaws.

It is most likely early orthodontic treatment will NOT be needed – but in the cases that it is – the benefits of early screening can be significant. 👍

We can discuss treatments to correct the growth of your child’s jaw and some bite problems.  We can also assist with gaining enough room for permanent teeth to properly come through, and guide your child’s teeth into a more favourable position, as well as minimising the chances of extractions later on. 

Orthodontic procedures performed later in life take longer and are also way tougher on the hip pocket.

The message to remember is that early diagnosis and timely management is KEY.  Bring your child in for their first orthodontic

This will allow us to catch any problems or abnormalities early on—when they’re easiest to treat and fix.

And naturally if your child’s case is complex, we would refer you to a specialist orthodontist.

At Taree Dental Care we pride ourselves on having a focus on children’s dentistry. You need a dentist you can trust.  You also need to find someone your child likes. 

Contact us for your child’s orthodontic screen and be reassured that he or she will grow up with a healthy and beautiful smile.