Early Orthodontic Treatment for Kids – An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
Drs. Karimian understands how important your children are to you. That’s why he encourages you to bring them in for an early orthodontic exam at approximately age 7, as recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists. Bite problems may be present at this age which, left unattended, can be difficult to correct at a later age or even cause irreparable damage to the permanent teeth.
Even one crooked tooth can throw off the bite, hinder proper cleaning and cause functional problems as your child grows older, including gum disease, cavities and speech disorders. Dr. Karimian will conduct a comprehensive exam to check for these and other problems:
• Excessive wear & chipping of front teeth
• Severe crowding
• Habits: finger/thumb-sucking, tongue-thrusting
• Crossbite of front & back teeth
• Eruption problems & space management
The Benefits Of Correcting Bite Problems Early
Early detection and treatment may prevent your child from needing costly and time-consuming dental care in the future. You’ll be happy to know that Dr. Karimian always looks at the most conservative treatment options first when assessing the need for braces for children.
Phase I, or early interceptive treatment, may include space maintainers, partial braces, or active retainers. Dr. Karimian only recommends Phase I treatment when there is a moderate to severe orthodontic problem that should not wait until later to be treated. Dr. Karimian will not recommend Phase I treatment unless he feels it can make a significant difference in his patient’s overall health. Phase I treatment time is typically 9-12 months, depending on patient cooperation. After treatment, the patient will be given a retainer and monitored while waiting for the remaining permanent teeth to erupt.
