Kids

 

Good Dental Health Begins Early…

 

It is recommended that a child first visit the family dentist by the age of 3 or even earlier while the child’s primary (baby) teeth are erupting. It is an excellent time to lay the foundation for a lifetime of good dental habits. At this early age, the pattern of dental eruption can be seen, and the parent can be alerted to developmental changes that might occur. This allows the child’s first experiences with the dentist to be positive.

The following early warning signs may indicate that your child should have an orthodontic examination:

  • Early or late loss of teeth.
  • Difficulty in chewing or biting.
  • Mouth breathing.
  • Finger sucking or other oral habits.
  • Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth.
  • Jaws that shift or make sounds.
  • Speech difficulty.
  • Biting the cheek or into the roof of the mouth.
  • Protruding teeth.
  • Teeth that meet in an abnormal manner or don’t meet at all.
  • Facial imbalance.
  • Jaws that protrude or retrude.
  • Grinding or clenching of the teeth.

The Benefits of Early Diagnosis

Orthodontists can improve smiles at any age, but there usually is an optimum time for treatment to begin. An early examination allows the orthodontic specialist to determine how and when a child’s particular problem should be treated for maximum improvement, requiring the least amount of time and providing the greatest benefit. With some patients, early treatment achieves results that are unattainable once the face and jaws have finished growing.

Interceptive treatment, or early intervention, takes advantage of facial growth and tooth eruption, can lessen the severity of a problem, and it frequently makes the completion of treatment at a later age less time-consuming and less expensive. Interceptive treatment may be beneficial in:

  • Avoiding fracture or loss of protruding teeth.
  • Assuring that the jaws and teeth meet properly during chewing and swallowing.
  • Eliminating adverse habits such as thumb-finger sucking, tongue thrusting and lip habits.
  • Correcting early alignment of teeth.
  • Enhancing proper speech development.
  • Evaluating breathing problems that may adversely affect normal growth and jaw shape.
  • Correcting crossbite, tooth grinding, tooth interference and lower jaw displacement.
  • Coordinating the extraction of primary (baby) teeth with the family dentist and allowing for proper eruption of permanent teeth.
  • Improving self-image.

 

Invisalign Teen - The invisible way to straighten your teeth, without braces.

Invisalign Teen® can give you the beautiful straight teeth you’ve always wanted, and yes it is for teens also!! It works through a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you’re wearing. So you can smile more during treatment as well as after.

Learn more by visiting the Invisalign Teen Website or check out our Invisalign Page.

The Importance of Treatment

 

Every parent wants his or her child to have a beautiful smile – and every child should have a healthy smile with properly functioning teeth. The orthodontist’s goal is to achieve both for the patient.

Untreated malocclusions may contribute to conditions that cause tooth decay, gum disease, bone destruction, loss of teeth, mouth breathing and jaw joint problems. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is truly applicable here.

In addition, uncorrected problems can adversely affect a child’s speech, general health and self- esteem. A child’s self-confidence almost always increases when his or her smile is improved. this also has an impact on those around the child – parents, siblings, teachers and other children. Successful treatment can lead to greater success in all areas of the child’s life. In short, the value of a beautiful, healthy smile should not be underestimated.

You’ll Want a Specialist

Some things have to be done right the first time. Orthodontic treatment will change your child’s teeth and can improve facial appearance. So you’ll want a specialist to treat your child.

Our staff limits their practice to orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics and are recognized as specialists in Orthodontics by the New Brunswick Dental Association. By completing an advanced education program following dental school, they have learned the special skills required to manage tooth movement and guide facial development.