I believe in a health centered approach by helping to guide the growth of your child’s jaws. In recent years, the dental profession has realized that many bite problems can be recognized and treated earlier than was once thought...proving that expensive and lengthy orthodontic treatment in teen years can be avoided by taking early preventive steps when the child is young. The idea is to create an ideal setting for adult teeth to grow into.
Early orthodontics can also be an effective way to deal with bad habits that can deform your child’s bite. Habits such as tongue thrusting, biting the lower lip and thumb sucking can lead to problems once permanent teeth come in. Early treatment can prevent these habits from causing bite problems later on.
How can you tell if your child needs orthodontic treatment? Early warning signs may include:
• mouth breathing or snoring
• difficulty chewing or biting
• crowded or crooked teeth
• jaw clicking or teeth grinding
• protruding upper teeth, teeth that do not meet well or at all
• jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face
• history of finger sucking
• long-term pacifier use
