Dr. Grieve, along with the American Association of Orthodontists, recommends that children receive their first orthodontic well check by age seven. Dr. Grieve will be able to observe your child’s tooth development to determine if there are any potential issues that will affect your child’s long-term bite and tooth alignment. Addressing these issues early, while your child is growing and developing, will help save your child from having complex treatment plans when their adult teeth come in. This will save your child time in treatment, and save you money.
Plus, you don’t need a referral from your dentist, and the well check is completely complimentary! Dr. Grieve will be able to tell you whether your child requires early treatment at the complimentary well check. We also have a complimentary observation program where your child will come for an evaluation every six months to be evaluated by Dr. Grieve.
Does My Child Need Early Orthodontic Treatment
Dr. Grieve will be able to tell you whether your child requires early treatment at the complimentary well check. We also have a complimentary observation program where your child will come for an evaluation every six months to be evaluated by Dr. Grieve. However, early treatment may be necessary if your child:
- Lost their baby teeth earlier or later than normal – Note: Children typically begin losing their baby teeth around age five
- Has Crowded Teeth
- Sucks on his or her thumb after age five
- Has teeth that don’t come together normally
- Displays any speech impediments
- Has trouble chewing or biting
- Has protruding teeth
- Experiences a shifting of the jaw when opening or closing his or her mouth
If your child displays any of the above characteristics, it’s a good idea to schedule an orthodontic well check with Dr. Grieve. At that first visit, Dr. Grieve will evaluate your child’s teeth, gums, jaw, and oral hygiene. If he sees any of the following problems, he may recommend early treatment for the following.
- OVERBITE Also known as “buck teeth,” this occurs when the upper teeth are located too far in front of the lower teeth.
- UNDERBITE An underbite occurs when the lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper jaw, causing the front lower teeth to overlap the front top teeth.
- CROSSBITE A crossbite occurs when the upper teeth don’t come down slightly in front of the lower teeth as they should.
- CROWDING Crowding occurs when there isn’t enough space for the teeth to fit properly within the jaws. Signs of crowding are teeth that are twisted and displaced.
- EXCESS SPACING This occurs when there is too much space between the teeth, creating a gap.
- OPEN BITE This occurs when some of the top and bottom teeth don’t meet when biting.
- MIDLINE MISALIGNMENT This occurs when the middle of the upper front teeth does not align with the middle of the lower front teeth. If one or more of the above problems are present, Dr. Grieve may recommend a treatment plan to proactively address the issue.
