Early Orthodontic Treatment Mentone & Frankston

Early orthodontics reduces the severity of problems and encourages healthy young smiles

Our team at Straight Orthodontics encourage parents to bring their children in for early orthodontics as it may be the necessary key for providing a healthy, happy smile as they grow up into an adolescent.

It’s never too late to bring your little ones along to the orthodontist, but the earlier the better. We recommend bringing your child for their first orthodontic appointment at age seven. By this time, you have made it through the tantrums and first years of school, and now it’s time to take care of their smile.

We make sure we provide not only early treatments, but also a happy space for your child to learn about the importance of good oral health and why straight teeth are important.

Don’t rely on the untrained eye, it cannot always spot dental issues.

Why is early orthodontic treatment important?

Early assessments allow us to examine your child’s mouth for issues, including current and future orthodontic problems. We can check for potential bite, alignment, jaw and a range of other oral complications using our trained eyes and advanced x-ray technology. This early treatment reduces the chances of later issues becoming more complicated and costly to fix.

Your children may not require early orthodontics; however, we think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

What can early orthodontics fix?

• Decrease chances of complicated future treatments
• Address damaging dental habits (thumb/pacifier sucking)
• Decrease the chances of future extractions
• Guide adult teeth into alignment
• Create room to reduce chances of crowding

Early signs to look out for

There are many signs that may indicate your child’s smile requires early orthodontic treatment.

• Baby tooth decay
• Early loss of baby teeth
• Snoring or mouth breathing
• Biting and chewing difficulties
• Late thumb sucking habits – causes jaw and teeth misalignment
• Protruding front teeth – front teeth stick out
• Crowded teeth – not enough room to accommodate permanent teeth
• Crossbites – teeth don’t align while smiling
• Overbites – upper front teeth overlap the bottom teeth
• Underbites – bottom teeth extend out farther than top teeth

If any of these are relevant, please don’t place your child’s orthodontic visit to the back of your to-do list, as your little one’s smile is a priority.

Leaving your child’s orthodontic issues unchecked can lead to more complicated or serious issues as they grow into a teenager.

Early orthodontic treatments for children

At Straight Orthodontics we offer a range of early treatment options to help children achieve their best oral health. These treatments include making sure your child feels as comfortable and happy as possible while visiting us.

Treatments differ for every child, depending on the problem and overall severity.

Some treatment options are, but are not limited to the following:

Palate expansion devices

This device is used to expand the upper dental arch, creating more room for teeth.

Tooth extraction

May be required to ensure permanent teeth emerge correctly.

Correcting bad habits

The orthodontist can provide treatment to correct bad habits, such as mouth breathing and thumb sucking. Thumb sucking is a common occurrence in young children, however if it persists, it can cause a range of dental issues.

Space maintainers

If a child loses a tooth too early, it’s important to continue to maintain the spot for the permanent teeth, which is exactly what this device does. If you want to learn more about early orthodontics, or think you are ready to bring your child for their first appointment, then please contact our team today!