That Little Man or Little Lady in your life is Growing up Quicker than ever

As kids get older and start to lose their baby teeth, many parents wonder if the teeth are erupting correctly and about the right age for braces. While your child's teeth might appear to be straight, there are some early problems which raise red flags.

7 is the right age for an Orthodontic Check-Up!

The reasons for this examination are :

Their permanent molars and front teeth start erupting around age 7.
Early problems in teeth eruption such as crowding, crossbite, jaw shifts, and habits can be detected and, if needed, corrected

We recommend check-ups twice a year.

These semi-annual check-ups are always FREE so we can monitor closely the child's progress and plan ahead.

Smile Brite Orthodontics and the AAO do not advocate comprehensive or complete treatment at this age. If no evaluation is made at that age, then we would miss a window of troubleshooting opportunity.

Juniors Orthodontic Treatment Options

Dr. Kapadia will perform an examination with easy x-rays and consult you and your child for the best treatment options. We want to make sure every child feels comfortable getting check-ups before treatment is needed. During consultation we will discuss the different options available to you.

Observation Only

No treatment needed. This is a very common option. An early check-up is great to make sure all things are in order. Most kids only need observation or recall appointments. This is the time to let Mother Nature take care of things. Check-ups every 6 months will be essential during this time.

Early Prevention

In some cases, removal of a stubborn baby tooth can prevent future crowding issues. In other cases, a baby tooth must be removed to allow the permanent tooth to erupt at the correct position. On the contrary, if a baby tooth is lost prematurely, we can provide a space maintainer till a permanent tooth erupts there.

Phase 1 Treatment

This involves use of short term braces, expanders, or habit breaking appliances if a child needs early treatment. Once the early orthodontic problem at hand is resolved, braces are removed. The child's teeth are monitored until all adult teeth erupt. Phase 1 braces are typically followed by normal teen/ adult braces. At that stage, typically 10-13 years, we can discuss comprehensive treatment. Phase 1 treatment may even shorten comprehensive treatment in some cases.