When is the right time to bring your little princess or super hero to see the orthodontist? The American Association of Orthodontics recommends kids see an orthodontist around 7 years old. Getting an assessment early-on helps to ensure that your child has proper facial balance and a beautiful smile as they continue to grow. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time for junior to be picking out neon green rubber bands just yet. 

Free Annual Assessments  

A lot happens between the tooth fairy’s first visit and the time when all the permanent teeth join the party. It’s very important that your child’s jaws grow normally and their teeth come in when and where they should. That’s why Dr. Crossley offers free annual assessments during this important time period. If something is amiss, early treatment can make all the difference.  

These free annual assessments include a one-on-one meeting with Doctor Crossley, as well as complimentary X-rays & Photos as needed. Most of the time his recommendation is to wait because things are progressing normally. But sometimes treatment is needed to correct current problems or to prevent significant problems from surfacing in the future. Dr. Crossley is very conservative when it comes to early treatment and he only recommends the same treatment he would for his own kiddos!

Things that typically indicate a need for early treatment are cross-bites, underbites, significant overbites, or significant crowding. If you have any concerns or just want to see how your child is developing, give us a call. It’s a complimentary meeting with no strings attached.  

Kids Treatment Options

Observation

Sometimes the best treatment is no treatment! We’ll follow your little one over time (usually every 8-12 months) and make sure everything in and around their mouth is developing the way it should. 

Limited Braces

Sometimes your little cherub needs an early phase of orthodontics. We put braces on the permanent teeth they already have, gently move them to their correct position, and close the gaps in the front teeth. This sets the stage for their smile to develop as it should.

Palatal Expanders

These are appliances used to expand the upper jaw. Palatal expanders are used for kiddos with narrow jaws, cross-bites (where the bottom teeth are outside the top teeth), or a severe lack of space for permanent teeth. They are easy to use and the movements are incredibly slow so there is rarely any discomfort. The actual expansion phase only takes a month, and then the expander is left in for 8-12 months to allow everything to stabilize. This also prevents the jaw from becoming narrow again. 

Functional + Habit Appliances

When the jaws aren’t growing like they should, we can redirect the growth using various appliances. Some appliances stay in the mouth and some are only used at night, but they’re are all effective at correcting problems early on. That way the jaws and face grow normally as your small child grows into a big child, and eats you out of house and home. We use habit appliances to break any oral habits they are struggling to let go of. We’re pretty good at talking them out of sucking their thumb, but if that and other tricks aren’t working, we have reminder appliances that help them jump the last hurdle.