When you are preparing for a big event, there are bound to be nerves. You want to make sure that you have a good idea of what to expect and what you will see during the event. Your child is the same way, except that they are probably more curious because while you have context to prepare for most unknown experiences, your child has no context for these things. When it’s time for the first orthodontic appointment, we encourage the parents of our patients to explain what to expect from that first appointment. We even have an outline below that you can follow!

Images with x-rays – The appointment will begin in a comfortable chair. We will take some images of your child’s jaw so that we can see the teeth that are present as well as the teeth are haven’t yet erupted.

Examination of entire jaw – After our technician takes images, an orthodontist will step into the room and do a thorough examination of the images and your child’s jaw. We will check the teeth, jaw, and gums to see what is going on inside of your child’s mouth.

Thorough analysis – Once we have taken images and done an exam, we will spend some time talking with both you and your child about what problems we might see. We’ll let you know what’s going right as well as what’s going wrong.

Recommended Treatment – Finally, we will take some time to talk about treatment options for your child. This is an important time during the appointment where you and your child can hear options and get an idea of what needs to happen next.

The most important thing you can do for your child during this time before the appointment is to listen to his concerns, answer his questions, and be encouraging. Contact us today to ask what questions you have or to set up your child’s first appointment. Remember, every child should be seen around 7 or 8 years old. We can’t wait to meet you and your little one very soon!