For Kids
Treatment Options From Your Local Ladera Ranch, San Clemente, & Newport Beach Orthodontists
Did you know that many children, ages 7-11, can benefit from some form of early treatment? By starting orthodontic care early, you can prevent serious problems from developing or becoming worse. You may also be able to lessen the overall treatment time and prevent oral surgery, something that excites both patients and parents.
At Barkate & Nehi Orthodontics, we follow the early treatment recommendations of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), which recommends that all children have an evaluation by a certified orthodontist by the age seven. Barkate & Nehi Orthodontics can accurately determine if your child’s dental situation will lead to further problems and if it can be prevented by simple early orthodontic treatment.
Indications For Early Treatment
Early treatment allows the team at Barkate & Nehi Orthodontics to achieve great results that may not be possible when the face and jaws finish growing in the teenage years. We may recommend an early phase of treatment (age 7-11) to prevent future problems. This Phase I treatment may be followed by a Phase II with full braces (comprehensive treatment) when all the adult teeth erupt (usually in middle school, 12-14 years old) to achieve the final result of a beautiful and properly functioning smile. Typically, the second phase of treatment is shorter and more effective because Phase I has already been completed. In Phase I, our team is able to:
- Prevent future adult teeth extractions
- Prevent tooth wear
- Correct and guide jaw growth
- Address grinding or bruxism
- Improve facial balance
- Correct narrow palate
- Help with snoring, or sleep apnea
- Improve the way lips meet together
- Improve the appearance of the mouth and teeth alignment
- Guide permanent teeth into a healthy, favorable position
- Lower the overall risk of trauma to protruding front teeth
- Help correct bad habits such as thumb sucking, and tongue thrusting
- Increase the self-esteem of the patient by improving their smile
If your child shows signs of crowded teeth, malposition of adult teeth, adult teeth not erupting when you think they should (delayed eruption), has difficulty chewing, habitually breathes through the mouth, has snoring or sleep apnea or a thumb of finger sucking habit, call us. We can help correct these problems and many more with early treatment!
Contact Us Today!
For a free consultation about your specific orthodontic needs, contact the team at Barkate & Nehi Orthodontics today. We are proud to offer Damon braces, clear braces, Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services for certain cases with adolescents and adults. We look forward to making you smile!
