Taking your child to the orthodontist at an early age may save you and your child many headaches in the future. It will help to detect any complications regarding your child’s oral health and, if needed, correct them before they get more serious. However, it is important to know when the right time for that first visit is. Factors such as age and irregularities in their denture determine that the time has come to take your child for an orthodontic examination. At PDA Ridgewood, the children’s orthodontist in Mahwah and surrounding areas, we have prepared this summary that will help you understand the importance of an early visit, and when that visit should be.

Benefits of an Early Visit

Both, your child and you, can highly benefit from an early orthodontist examination. It will have an impact that will last for many years. By going to the orthodontist while your child is still very young, you can save thousands of dollars potentially. This is because since your child’s teeth are still forming, it will be much easier to correct any abnormality, if any, using a basic treatment, such as braces. However, if you wait until all your child’s teeth have formed, the treatment might be more complex, and thus, its cost will be higher too. In this sense, it is evident why seeing an orthodontist at a young age will save you money, and will prevent your child from physical and emotional distress.

When Is the Right Time?

Most professionals recommend that the ideal age for a child’s first orthodontic examination is 7. This is because, at this age, children’s teeth are developing, and there is certain disparity among them. It takes a professional to tell whether there are irregularities because of the natural teeth’s development or if professional intervention is needed. Another important reason is that, at a young age, some issues may be easier to treat, as mentioned above, with braces, for example. If that issue is not treated and time passes by, what once was a minor issue that could be corrected with braces, is not a minor issue anymore, and may require oral surgery to correct it.

Other signs that indicate that your child needs an orthodontic examination are:

• Difficulty breathing when sleeping or snoring.
• Difficulties when biting or chewing.
• Losing primary teeth before 5.
• Difficulties in speech.
• When it is evident that the jaw is not well-aligned.

We hope that this guide has been useful to you. If you want to learn more about our children’s orthodontist in Mahwah and surrounding areas services or want to separate an appointment, call PDA Ridgewood now at (201) 652-7020.