Early Orthodontic TreatmentPembroke Pines, FL
Early orthodontic treatment is an essential step toward maintaining a child’s oral health. As patients age and their adult teeth begin to emerge, they may not always develop correctly. In other cases, baby teeth may not be in the proper alignment or cause the new teeth to become crooked. Early orthodontic treatment is oral health treatment for a child’s teeth to help prevent crooked teeth, improper alignment, bite issues and more.
Early orthodontic treatment is offered at Ortho Smiles in Pembroke Pines and in surrounding areas. With early orthodontic treatment, it is possible for Dr. Gina Cozzarelli and the team to help patients grow up with teeth in the proper alignment. Straight teeth will promote a more uniform appearance and one’s oral health.
If you are interested in learning more about early orthodontic treatment for your child, then call us at (954) 271-8073 today.
Start treatment early
Similar to how most children visit a doctor regularly, visiting an orthodontist for regular checkups around six or seven years of age is extremely beneficial for the child. By doing this, it is possible to detect the early signs of any oral health issues and map out the growth of the permanent teeth.
If there are any issues that will hinder or alter the proper alignment, then we can develop a treatment plan to prevent the issue from getting worse. Other benefits of our early orthodontic treatment include:
The Appointment process
A main area of focus at Ortho Smiles is to establish a welcoming and comfortable environment for the patients. We want children to begin building a positive relationship with oral health care to promote proper oral hygiene habits in the future. Far too often, older patients who avoid the orthodontist or dentist do so because of negative experience as a child.
Our team helps children to ease into orthodontic treatment. With early orthodontic treatment, we can begin to prepare the child patient for the idea of braces or other options. The first appointment for a child will typically include:
Filling out a “New Patient Information Form”
This form covers the patient’s medical history, current condition, allergies, insurance and any other factors about the patient’s oral health. In most cases, the parent/guardian will fill this form out before the appointment or in the office during the first visit. If there are any concerns of the parent/guardian or issues that we need to know about, this is the time to inform us.
If the child’s allergies or health changes over time, we can change the information as well to keep an updated record on file.
Introducing the child to the team and the practice
If necessary, we will ease the child into the appointment, by introducing them to other team members n the office and going over the various tools we can use. The parent/guardian may sit in with us during the first appointment when needed. While we establish a comfortable and welcoming environment, the child may need to see more of the office to feel more at ease.
Examining the child’s teeth
Once we help to ease the child into the dental chair, we will examine their teeth for any signs of crooked teeth, alignment issues and other signs of possible problems. If we find any early signs of these issues, we can customize a treatment plan and estimate when the child will need to begin the treatment.
For instance, we will not typically place braces on the teeth until the child has all of their permanent teeth. We may recommend an expander to help make room or maintain the proper amount of space for the emerging teeth. We will go over the results and any necessary treatment with the parent/guardian at this time.
Scheduling the next appointment
If the child does not need any immediate orthodontic treatment, then we will schedule a checkup a few months down the line. If the child needs treatment or another examination sooner, then we will schedule an appointment for the proper time. Call us at (954) 271-8073 to schedule an appointment today.
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