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Orthodontic treatments have classically been seen as a reactive treatment to bad teeth alignment, bite problems, and other issues that have already happened. At Orthodontic Alliances we don’t see orthodontics as a purely reactive treatment. In fact, preventive orthodontics is one of the best ways to save time, money, and guarantee that your child grows into a great smile!
Using a variety of treatments, our team can control your child’s adult teeth growth and also stop bad habits that can cause future alignment problems! Whether you want to be sure your child’s teeth are growing well or know that your family history of bad teeth will likely affect your young ones we can find the perfect solution!
What Is Preventive Orthodontics?
It’s generally recommended that your child see an orthodontist around age 7 or by the time their adult teeth start coming in. This gives us time to examine their mouth, take X-rays to see where adult teeth are positioned, and plan any treatment that might be needed to proactively fix teeth!
For some patients earlier treatment is important as well. There are a number of cases where early treatment is needed to ensure proper adult teeth growth and position. Basically, preventive orthodontics is all about catching problems before they occur!
What Kinds Of Treatments Are Involved?
Depending on the circumstances and potential problems there are a number of different preventive orthodontic treatments that may be used.
Habits like thumb sucking can ruin teeth position pretty quickly, leading to front teeth that stick more far forward than they should. When these kinds of problems are caught we can place a bar behind your child’s top teeth that makes it difficult for them to suck their thumb.
If a child loses a baby tooth prematurely it’s also important to see us. A lost tooth can spell disaster for your child’s adult teeth! Baby teeth are there to guide your adult teeth into position and without them you can quickly end up with serious tooth eruption difficulty! We use space maintainers to keep the neighboring teeth in their proper positions. The space maintainer is removed when teeth start to come in.
Sometimes baby teeth don’t fall out properly, leaving little room for adult teeth to come in properly! When that happens we usually extract baby teeth before they cause problems with alignment, bite, and even damage to gums and bone!
We can even use special equipment to help guide your child’s adult teeth into position as they come in! This is a great way to ensure proper tooth position without the need for expensive, time-consuming braces that last years!
Why Use Preventive Orthodontics?
There’s an obvious reason for using preventive orthodontics that you probably already noticed – it’s way cheaper than braces! You’ll be saving a lot of money by treating your child’s teeth before they all come in!
Aside from being cheaper for you preventive orthodontics is also great for your child. No one wants to wear braces and proper preventive care can eliminate the need for them altogether! Your child will also be able to grow into their adult teeth confidently and comfortably. They’ll end up with a great smile that they’ll love without years of uncomfortable braces!
In short, preventive orthodontics is great for you and your child! You’ll feel better by spending less money and your young ones will love the results!
Don’t Wait To Get Great Care!
The time when teeth are coming in is a crucial period. By getting your child an appointment now you’ll see better results and a happier kid – everyone wins!
Call Orthodontic Alliances today at 219-809-6584 to schedule an appointment at any one of our locations! You can also request an appointment by filling out our convenient online form! We look forward to seeing you and your family soon!