The Importance of Early Orthodontic Evaluation

Slight alignment problems in children sometimes become more serious issues later in life. An early evaluation by a specialist in orthodontics in South Plainfield, NJ, is a proactive step in helping your child maintain good dental health and a beautiful smile for a lifetime. 

Identifying Potential Issues Early 

Ideally, your child will have their first orthodontic evaluation around age seven. This allows our orthodontist to see issues that might not be obvious to parents, even though there may still be a number of baby teeth in place. 

During the early stages, the orthodontist will look for:

• Misaligned bites
• Chronic mouth breathing
• Delayed or premature loss of baby teeth
• Poor oral habits that can affect alignment, like thumb-sucking
• Facial asymmetry, which can be a window into jaw health
• Crowding or crooked teeth
• Problems eating or chewing food

Seeing the signs of orthodontic issues early will mean shorter treatment times and more efficient care plans. 

Benefits of Early Intervention

Why is early orthodontic evaluation and care so critical? The primary benefit is catching minor orthodontic problems before they become complex and difficult to correct. Early intervention helps the adult teeth come in properly, saving you and your child the stress and expense of braces later in life. 

Also, early orthodontic treatment promotes healthy jaw development. This is critical for children with alignment issues such as overbites or crossbites. Guiding jaw development early may eliminate the need for surgery later. 

Seeing your orthodontist in South Plainfield, NJ, early can eliminate the need for tooth extractions later to align the teeth properly. That means better oral health and appearance for the rest of your child’s life. 

It also means long-term cost savings for families. Investing early in a child’s orthodontic health prevents the need for costly procedures as the child ages. 

Are you ready to have an orthodontist in South Plainfield, NJ, evaluate your child’s teeth? Call us today to make an appointment.