Many parents here in Levittown and Long Island believe they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit our office, only to find that treatment would have been much simpler if started sooner. But did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?"All right," you think to yourself, "what’s so great about age seven?" Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Drs. Ostreicher or McAndrews to make a determination about whether any problems are present. Also, by then, the first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or what we like to call “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.
Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some kids, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and detrimental to good oral hygiene. So if your child is nearing age seven, please give us a call to schedule a complimentary orthodontic consultation.
Hoping you're enjoying the weekend!
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