Joseph Z. Yousefian of Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens and Adults in Bellevue, Washington, explains when you should make a pediatric orthodontic appointment.

The general recommendation for when to see an orthodontist is around age 7. It is especially important to seek orthodontic advice if your child has an improper bite, facial asymmetry, or sounds in the jaw.

A consultation with an orthodontist includes a full evaluation, including a set of X-rays. From these X-rays, Dr. Many orthodontic problems are more easily addressed — with less discomfort involved — before they become apparent. If you wait to get orthodontic treatment until your child is older, you may end up causing more dental trauma for your child.

The treatments are generally less painful when your child is younger and are often done for a shorter period of time. Your child may feel a bit nervous about the first time they meet the orthodontist.

Explain that the orthodontist is like a dentist but with extra training. Let them know that the first visit is usually just a consultation and an opportunity for them to get to know each other.

They will also likely receive X-rays and may have impressions taken of their mouth like a mold of their teeth. If Dr. Yousefian decides that your child needs treatment, they might need a palate expander, clear aligners, retainers, or other options.

Your child may want to know if their future treatments will hurt. However, you can also remind them that they can take over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol® acetaminophen or Motrin® ibuprofen.

When your top and bottom teeth do not fit together properly, this is called a malocclusion or a bad bite. Problems like missing, crooked, crowded or protruding teeth can contribute to a bad bite.

Thumb or finger sucking may also affect your bite. A bad bite can make it hard to chew some foods and may cause some teeth to wear down. It can also cause muscle tension and pain. Teeth that stick out are more easily chipped or broken. Crowded and crooked teeth are harder to clean and may be more likely to get cavities and gum disease.

Fixing a bad bite improves your smile and your health. Different types of bad bites include an overbite, a crossbite, an overjet and an open bite.

An overjet occurs when the upper front teeth protrude. A deep bite occurs when the upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth too much.

An underbite occurs when the upper teeth fit inside the arch of the lower teeth. Gaps between teeth A crossbite occurs when one or more of your upper teeth don�t line up with the appropriate lower tooth or teeth. Crowded or overlapped teeth.

Your dentist may do basic orthodontic treatment or refer you to an orthodontist. An orthodontist is a dentist who has completed a university post-graduate specialty program in orthodontics.

Orthodontics is a specialty of dentistry that deals with preventing and correcting malocclusions. Orthodontic treatment isn�t just for teens, as teeth can be moved at any age. In fact, more and more adults are having orthodontic treatment to improve the look and health of their smile.

Your dentist or orthodontist can evaluate if orthodontic treatment is right for you. In some cases it is helpful to start orthodontic treatment before all the permanent adult teeth come in.

This is called interceptive orthodontics. Your dentist or orthodontist can do an orthodontic screening to find out if your child will need orthodontic treatment to correct a bad bite.

Interceptive orthodontics allows your dentist or orthodontist to treat or stop a problem as it is developing. Orthodontic treatment takes time. The amount of time depends on your age, the seriousness of your problem and the treatment technique used.

Treatment generally involves a visit to your dentist or orthodontist on a regular basis over a period of months to years. In general, it takes longer to treat adults than children or teenagers.

Most people wear braces for about 2 years. Depending on the extent of your bad bite, your dentist or orthodontist may suggest one or a combination of the following orthodontic treatments to correct your bite:.

To apply braces, your dentist or orthodontist attaches brackets or bands to each tooth with glue. Arch wires are fitted into all the brackets and are usually held in place with rubber or wire ties.

You may feel some discomfort for a while when your braces are first put on and when they are adjusted. It will take a little time to get used to your braces and they can bother your lips and cheeks. If this happens, a relief wax can be applied to your braces.

To make eating easier after an adjustment, soft foods are recommended. Proper brushing and flossing is even more important for people with braces because plaque can easily build up around the edges of your braces.

If this plaque is not properly removed, white or brown marks may appear on the enamel surface of your teeth and these marks may be permanent. Brushing and flossing with braces take longer. It is important to brush your braces as well as the front, back and chewing surfaces of the teeth.

Your dentist or orthodontist will give you tips on how to brush and on how to floss using floss threaders. After flossing, roll it up in a tiny ball and put it in the garbage. Never flush floss down the toilet.

Parents should supervise their children to make sure they do a good job cleaning their teeth and braces and follow the advice of their dentist or orthodontist.

If you have braces, do not bite on hard things such as ice cubes and nuts. Do not chew the ends of pens or pencils. Also avoid sticky treats like chewing gum or toffee because they can loosen braces, distort wires and even pull braces off your teeth.

If any of these problems happen, you will need to have your braces repaired by your dentist or orthodontist. If the elastics or ties come off the bracket, you may be able to put them back around the bracket using small tweezers.

Bill Hatcher or Dr. Scott Frey. This could include behavioral modifications that we can suggest and some at-home therapies to help the jaws grow better and teeth develop better so we can avoid bigger problems in the future. At the screening, your child will receive an oral exam, orthodontic x-rays, and a consultation with our team.

Skip to main content. The number one mistake parents make when it comes to seeking orthodontic care for their child September 11, Nikki Zellner Invisalign , Keeping Kids Healthy , Patient Education , RESOURCES. And this is the number one mistake a parent can make. Wondering where to start … and why?

Read on! About The Author. Nikki Zellner. invisalign first , invisalign specialist , orthodontics for children. Experience Our Difference.

Explain that the orthodontist is like a dentist but with extra training. Let them know that the first visit is usually just a consultation and an opportunity for them to get to know each other. They will also likely receive X-rays and may have impressions taken of their mouth like a mold of their teeth.

If Dr. Yousefian decides that your child needs treatment, they might need a palate expander, clear aligners, retainers, or other options.

Your child may want to know if their future treatments will hurt. However, you can also remind them that they can take over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol® acetaminophen or Motrin® ibuprofen.

You can also promise to do a fun activity together after visiting the orthodontist, like going to the park. Contact Dr. Yousefian of Yousefian Orthodontics for Children, Teens and Adults, or request an appointment online. When Does My Child Need Pediatric Orthodontic Care? However, parents have reason to hope for viable remedies and solutions to most of these issues.

You can remedy these acquired problems with the help of successful orthodontic care provided by an experienced pediatric dentist. Figuring out which childhood orthodontic makes the most sense for your child and their future dental visits becomes critically important.

For parents and their children in Hamilton, NJ, Hamilton Dental Associates provides them with the experienced pediatric dentists they need to prioritize their oral health as they mature.

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