Your child’s smile is constantly growing and changing. While those adorable gaps and wiggly teeth are a normal part of childhood, hidden issues can develop long before they become visible. At Burlingame Smile Studio, we believe early orthodontic screenings are key to preventing more complex and costly treatments down the road, setting your child up for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
An early evaluation gives us a chance to identify potential problems before they escalate. Dr. April Lee and our team are trained to spot subtle signs of crowding, bite misalignment, and jaw growth issues that may not be apparent to the untrained eye. Think of it as a roadmap for your child’s dental future.
The Magic Number: Why Age 7?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation around age seven, and for good reason. At this age, children typically have a mix of baby teeth and permanent adult teeth, known as mixed dentition. This stage provides a perfect window of opportunity for an orthodontist to:
- Assess how adult teeth are erupting.
- Identify potential crowding or spacing issues.
- Check for crossbites, overbites, or underbites.
- Evaluate the relationship between the upper and lower jaws.
An early screening helps us anticipate future needs and determine the best time to begin treatment, if it’s needed at all.
What Happens During a Child’s First Orthodontic Visit?
Your child’s first visit is a gentle, stress-free experience. We start by making them feel comfortable in our child-friendly practice. The assessment is comprehensive and designed to give us a complete picture of your child’s oral development.
During the exam, Dr. Lee will:
- Review dental and medical history: Understanding your child’s overall health is the first step.
- Conduct a visual exam: We’ll look at tooth eruption patterns, check for crowding, and evaluate their bite.
- Assess jaw alignment: We observe how the upper and lower jaws fit together as they bite down.
- Discuss oral habits: Habits like thumb sucking or mouth breathing can impact dental development.
This visit gives you valuable insight into your child’s current orthodontic health and what to expect in the coming years.
The Big Benefits of Early Orthodontic Care
Identifying and addressing orthodontic issues early offers significant advantages that can simplify your child’s treatment journey.
- Guides Jaw Growth: Early intervention can help guide jaw development, improving facial symmetry and creating a better environment for incoming adult teeth.
- Reduces Risk of Trauma: Protruding front teeth are more susceptible to chips or fractures. Early treatment can correct their position and protect them from injury.
- Improves Spacing: We can create or preserve space for permanent teeth that haven’t erupted yet, potentially avoiding the need for extractions later.
- Simpler Future Treatment: Addressing problems early often makes future treatment (like braces) shorter and less complicated.
Common Signs Your Child May Need an Evaluation
While a screening at age seven is recommended for all children, certain signs may indicate an earlier need for a visit. Look out for:
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Mouth breathing
- Prolonged thumb or finger sucking
- Crowded, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth
- Jaws that shift, make sounds, or click
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- A bite where the teeth don’t meet correctly (or at all)
If you notice any of these signs, scheduling an evaluation is a proactive step toward ensuring your child’s dental health.
Modern Treatments for Growing Smiles
If we find that your child could benefit from early treatment, the options are gentle and designed specifically for their growing mouths. These might include:
- Gentle Appliances: Devices like palatal expanders can widen the upper jaw to correct a crossbite or create more space.
- Space Maintainers: If a baby tooth is lost too early, these custom-fit appliances hold the space open for the permanent tooth.
- Early Braces: In some cases, a limited phase of braces can correct specific alignment or bite issues.
Many children won’t need immediate intervention. For them, these early visits simply allow us to monitor their development and plan for the ideal treatment timeline in the future.
Set Your Child Up for a Healthy Smile
An early orthodontic screening is one of the best investments you can make in your child’s long-term health and confidence. It provides peace of mind and ensures that if treatment is needed, it will be as simple and effective as possible.
If you live in Burlingame, Hillsborough, or Millbrae, we invite you to schedule a complimentary first evaluation at Burlingame Smile Studio. Let us help you support your child’s beautiful, growing smile.
Contact Dr. April Lee at Burlingame Smile Studio
(650) 231-2680
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1740 Marco Polo Way Ste 12
Burlingame, California
94010
