How An Orlando Orthodontist Can Help Get Your Child’s Smile Back
If you have ever had braces in your mouth as a child or teenager, you appreciate the agony
that teeth problems can cause. Many parents who went through the stage are today opting for
early treatment for their kids to alleviate the need for metal treatment. Statistics from the
American Association of Orthodontists indicate a growth of 46% over the last 10 years. This
has come amidst the backdrop of information on orthodontics as an important medical
practice. Surprisingly, even older patients are opting for correctional treatment as technology
has evolved rapidly in the field. The services an Orlando orthodontist can provide to you or
your child are invaluable and the more information you gather about orthodontics the better.
The obvious question that comes to your mind is why you should use an orthodontist while
you already have a dentist. Training in this field requires an ADA-approved program which
takes 2 to 3 years on top of the 4 year dentist training. The orthodontist will work on correcting
the abnormalities in your jaw and teeth while a dentist deals with general care of your teeth.
To determine whether you need this specialist a diagnostic test is imperative either from your
dentist or the orthodontist. The tests will check your dental heath history, plaster models of
your teeth and special X-rays to check the outlay of your jaws among other areas.
Several problems require the intervention of an Orlando teeth specialist. The most common is
the overbite where the front teeth seem to stick too far out on the jaw over the lower teeth.
Secondly you could be having an under bite where the lower teeth extend beyond the upper
ones giving you a bull dog appearance. Thirdly, there is the cross bite which makes eating
difficult due to poor aligning of the upper and lower teeth during the process. Crowding of the
teeth is also common where the jaw cannot accommodate the number of teeth hence they lay
in different angles. You could also be having spaces on your dental ridge which would require
correctional treatment to fill.
Treatment methods for these problems vary from braces, space maintainers, jaw repositioning
appliances, removable retainers, palatal expander and even headgear. A report by the
American Orthodontists Association in 2010 indicated that 75% of the children who saw the
specialists did not have a future problem. The report also recommended earlier consultation
for children by the age of 7 years. While his may appear too early, a US Longitudinal Study of
Girls in 2010 published by the American Academy of Pediatrics reported the age of puberty
has fallen to 7 years from the study of 1,200 girls.
Early consultation and treatment by the orthodontist helps to guide the growth of the young
jaw, regulate the width of the jaw, guide incoming teeth to the optimal positions, reduce the
danger of teeth sticking on the gum and preserve the space for the permanent teeth. The
Orlando orthodontist is the best bet because they will diagnose and rectify the problem
promptly. The America Orthodontists Association indicates only 6% of dentists have the
advanced training in the field which shows why your child needs special care. Always ensure
you research keenly when choosing which teeth specialist to use but experience in the field
should be your main guiding point.