{"id":5653,"date":"2022-02-27T11:00:19","date_gmt":"2022-02-27T16:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolinacompletedental.com\/?p=5653"},"modified":"2025-05-05T18:07:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T18:07:35","slug":"does-my-child-need-early-orthodontic-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinacompletedental.com\/blog\/does-my-child-need-early-orthodontic-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Does My Child Need Early Orthodontic Treatment?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the wonderful things about orthodontic treatment is that it can improve both your oral health and smile confidence at just about any age! This might lead you to believe there\u2019s no need for children or adolescents to have to go through what might seem like a complicated intervention, but there are reasons you may see orthodontic treatment taking place sooner rather than later. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Dr. Barganier, Dr. Zuffi, Dr. Williams, and Dr. McAdams of Carolina Complete Dental<\/a> would like to let Goose Creek friends and neighbors know if the reasons are valid, so buckle your brackets and join us for this cruise through early orthodontic treatment!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brace for Impact!<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your child visits the orthodontist at the age of 7 as recommended by <\/span>The American Association of Orthodontists,<\/span><\/a> you\u2019ll be told whether or not orthodontia is forecasted in their future. We know they\u2019re still growing, but 7 years old is the typical age for their upper permanent teeth to have erupted, which is helpful for the establishment of their bite. Your child\u2019s orthodontist will evaluate front-to-back and side-to-side tooth relationships; we want the bond to be strong, but not too strong\u2014teeth need just the right amount of space from each other for a healthy bite.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crossbite, Right Ahead!<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Forgive our silly <\/span>Titanic<\/span><\/i> reference with the swap of iceberg for <\/span>crossbite, <\/b>but<\/span> this is one <\/span>occlusion<\/b> (the technical dental term used to describe the contact between your upper and lower teeth) you\u2019ll want to steer toward a healthier course. If one or more of your child\u2019s upper front teeth close inside their lower teeth, they may have this condition. Unfortunately, it can really sink your child\u2019s oral health by causing their jaw to grow unevenly. Crossbites are known to cause wear of the teeth, gum disease<\/a>, and bone loss\u2014which may require corrective oral surgery<\/a> later in life. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crossbite, along with <\/span>protrusion<\/b> (also known as <\/span>overjet<\/b>\u2014you\u2019ll notice that in the dental world, there may be several terms used to diagnose one thing, e.g., cavity, tooth decay, and caries) are two <\/span>malocclusions <\/b>that dentists and orthodontists will strongly suggest treating. Protrusion can be caused by habits like thumb-sucking and excessive pacifier usage. Front teeth that are misaligned in an overjet are more prone to injury and can cause TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain and dysfunction.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Signs of Distress<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may want to send out the SOS call to Carolina Complete Dental if your child experiences any of the following:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n