About Your FREE Observation Appointments
ideal age for initial evaluation
The AAO (American Association of Orthodontists) recommends that all children see an orthodontist by age 7. Most children will not require early treatment; however, we would like to provide you with either the peace of mind that no treatment is needed at this time, or the knowledge that your child can have their treatment started at the most ideal age for their specific situation. This ensures they will receive the most conservative and efficient treatment to correct their orthodontic problems.
Monitoring your child’s development
All Pre-Orthodontic Observation appointments will be provided at NO CHARGE up until any active treatment begins. During these observation visits any x-rays that are taken are completely complimentary and simply help us to monitor your child’s dental eruption and skeletal growth. We usually like to see our patients every 4 to 6 months during this time, and in some cases we are monitoring patients free of charge for over 5 years. The biggest asset of seeing patients at this age is the opportunity to plan ahead strategically. Timing treatment correctly is one of the most important factors to consider when trying to obtain ideal outcomes predictably. During these observation appointments you will be informed as to what treatment might be needed in the near future so that you may plan ahead accordingly.
goals of early treatment
Our primary goal is to only start active treatment if it is absolutely necessary. We will advise you what, if anything, should be done at an early age and what can wait until he or she is older. At a young age, our goals are not usually cosmetic in origin, unless there is a real need to improve their smile due to psycho-social issues. Instead, we are working primarily on major bite discrepancies, anterior and posterior crossbites and cases of severe crowding. It is very important that sufficient room is available so that the permanent teeth can erupt without damaging any surrounding structures. If more space is necessary, we often utilize palatal expanders which widens the upper jaw. A few braces in conjunction with the palatal expander is sometimes necessary at this age as well.
