Get a Head Start on a Beautiful Smile
As a parent in Phoenix or Chandler, you want the best for your child. That includes healthy teeth and a pleasing smile. Drs. Serrano will treat your children like our own by giving them the best possible orthodontic care.
Kids Should Get an Orthodontic Check-Up By 7
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends all children get a check-up with an orthodontic specialist no later than age 7.
Orthodontics for Kids In Phoenix & Chandler
By this age, your child's teeth have developed enough for orthodontists can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present.
While your child’s teeth may appear to be straight, there could be a problem that only an orthodontist can detect.
A check-up may reveal that your child’s bite is fine. Or, Dr. Paul or Andrew Serrano may identify a developing problem but recommend monitoring the child’s growth and development. If indicated, your child will begin treatment at the appropriate time for the child.
In other cases, Dr. Paul or Andrew Serrano might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment.
Early treatment may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated. In some cases, the orthodontist will be able to achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.
What Is Early Treatment?
Early treatment may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated.
In some cases, the orthodontist will be able to achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.
But don’t worry! If your child is older than 7, it’s certainly not too late for a check-up.
Choosing the Best Time for Treatment
While the age that kids get braces may vary, orthodontic treatment most often begins between the ages of 9 and 14. Some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they’re treated early.
If Dr. Paul or Andrew Serrano thinks your child will need treatment, he’ll let you know when it will be best to begin treatment. Early treatment may give your orthodontist a chance to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits
- Improve appearance
- Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
- Create a more pleasing arrangement of teeth, lips and face
Through an early orthodontic evaluation, you’ll be giving your child the best opportunity for a healthy, beautiful smile.
Signs Your Child’s Bite's Not Right
It's not always easy to tell when your child may need braces or has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a problem bite.
Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Breathing through the mouth
- Thumb-sucking
- Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
- Jaws that are too far forward or back
- Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
- Protruding teeth
- Upper and lower teeth that don't meet or meet in an abnormal way
- An unbalanced facial appearance
- Grinding or clenching of the teeth
Learn More at Your Free Consultation
Because patients differ in both physiological development and treatment needs, the orthodontist’s goal is to provide each patient with the most appropriate treatment at the most appropriate time.
If your child has a dental issue, please contact us by setting up a free consultation at our Phoenix or Chandler office.
We can talk about your child's orthodontic options and develop a treatment plan customized to your child's needs.