Early Prevention

Little Smiles, Big Results: Smile Bright From the Start

Early Orthodontic Treatment for Children

Many parents wonder when is a good time to visit the orthodontist. The best time is early in life, around the age of 6 years old. At an early age, Dr. Thompson can prevent problems from being more severe or even occurring.

Your Child May Need Early Orthodontic Treatment If:

Early loss of a baby tooth.
Difficulty chewing and/or biting.
Breathes through their mouth instead of their nose.
Your child sucks his or her thumb or fingers after the age of five.
Speech impediments.
Protruding front teeth.
A narrow palate.
An underbite.
A very retrusive chin.
An overbite (deep bite).
An excessive overjet.
Teeth that don’t come together in a normal manner or not at all.
Shifting of the jaw when your child opens or closes their mouth (posterior crossbites).
Crowded front teeth and anterior crossbites.

Benefits of Early Treatment / Intervention:

1. A better prognosis for how the permanent teeth will erupt.

2. The ability to correct any habits that may be the cause of development problems, such as thumb sucking or tongue thrust.

3. Correcting bite problems like an open bite, crossbite, or deep bite.

4. The ability to guide the growth of the jaw to accommodate emerging teeth.

5. Lowering the risk of damage to any protruding teeth.

6. The ability to improve your child’s appearance.

7. Creating a more pleasing and functional arrangement of teeth, lips, and face.

8. Alleviating future and possibly more invasive dental correction.

9. Increasing self-esteem and confidence in your child.

Dr. Thompson offers free consultations. An evaluation of your child’s occlusion and facial growth can be done soon by contacting our office by phone (304.697.4110) or set up an appointment by clicking here.