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Early screening and treatment
Recommendations for Early Orthodontic and Dentofacial Screening
- The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends early orthodontic screening by a qualified specialist by age seven.
- No age is too young if a problem is suspected
Call (248) 282-7298 to schedule your child's FREE screening examination. X-rays, photographs, and consultation are included.
A Parent's Screening Check List
- early or late loss of teeth
- difficulty in chewing or biting
- mouth breathing
- thumb sucking
- crowding, misplaced, or blocked-out-teeth
- jaws that shift or make sounds
- speech difficulties
- biting the cheek or the roof of the mouth
- teeth that meet abnormally, or don't meet at all
- facial imbalance
- jaws that are too far forward or back
- grinding or clenching of teeth
- excessive wear of teeth
Goals and Benefits of Early Treatment
- Establish a normal, healthy, and attractive facial pattern.
- Avoid jaw surgery and tooth extraction.
- Promote self-esteem, confidence, and personality development.
- Simplify treatment.
No child should have to wait until their teens to feel good about their smile. "Parents tell me daily how much better their seven, eight, or nine-year-old children feel about themselves because they no longer feel self-conscious about their smile."
Our primary goal is to intercept problems that, left unattended, will become more difficult or impossible to correct later.
Should My Child's Treatment Begin Early or Later?
- Orthodontic problems are characterized by the misalignment of teeth within their respective jaws.
- Dentofacial orthopedic problems are characterized by lack of jaw coordination in form, relative size, and relative position.
- Dentofacial orthopedic problems are corrected by normalizing jaw relationships with dentofacial orthopedics (dentofacial orthopedic appliances).
Dentofacial orthopedic corrections ideally begin early, often by age seven, before all of the permanent teeth have erupted. Orthodontic corrections, on the other hand, rely on the presence of fully-erupted permanent teeth and usually begin later, seldom earlier than age 11.
Dentofacial orthopedic optimization of your child's facial growth and bite relies on your child's growth potential. When your child's facial growth is complete, the window of opportunity for growth optimization closes. Later correction, at best, relies on nonsurgical remodeling of the jaw or jaw surgery. Your child's facial appearance and bite may be compromised for a lifetime. Just remember one thing, "When in doubt, check it out."
You can depend on us to recognize problems others may overlook, dismiss, or elect to camouflage. We're committed to tested, problem-driven solutions. We will not alter the normal locations of your child's teeth to conceal or camouflage a jaw discrepancy. We'll address any jaw discrepancies head-on and ensure long-term stability with our proven post treatment retention protocol.
You can entrust optimization of your child's facial, jaw, and dental development to us. It's been our focus for over thirty years. Call us. We inform. You decide.
Free Brochure -- Your Child's First Orthodontic Check-Up
For a free brochure, "Your Child's First Orthodontic Check-Up," call our office at (248) 282-7298 or 1-800-NO-BRACES. You can also request the brochure at info@orthomagic.com. Please include the brochure title and your home or business address.
Upper left: Preventive Orthodontics; Upper right: Early Orthodontic Treatment Testimonial; Lower left: Dentofacial Orthopedics; Lower right: Phase One Dentofacial Orthopedics.