October is National Orthodontic health month and we are celebrating at Glastonbury Orthodontics! Now is a great time to raise awareness of the benefits of orthodontic treatment, and the importance of good oral health in general.  We would also like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts on the timing for orthodontic evaluations. Did you know that the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends evaluation of children at the age of 7? Many of you may be wondering, “Why so early?”

While orthodontic treatment most often begins between the ages of 9 and 14, some orthodontic problems may be easier to correct if they are found early.  By the age of 7, a child typically has enough permanent teeth for us to determine if an orthodontic problem exists or is developing.  Early treatment might be beneficial for the following reasons:

• Prevent a problem from developing
• Intercept a developing problem
• Guide the growth of jaw bones that support teeth

Some signs that you can look for in your younger kids that the bite is not right:

• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
• Difficulty in chewing or biting
• Jaws that are too far forward or back
• Breathing through the mouth
• Protruding teeth
• Thumb-sucking
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth
• Crowded or misplaced teeth
• An unbalanced facial appearance
• Upper and lower teeth that don’t meet or meet in an abnormal way

 

We hope that everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!