Did you know that Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics has been giving patients something to smile about for 60 years now? It’s true! We’ve created more beautiful smiles than anyone else in the Charlottesville and Crozet areas, so you know you’re putting your oral health in the best hands when you choose us. Our team is proud to treat patients of all ages, including children. We often hear from parents who wonder how they’ll know if their child needs orthodontic treatment. While there’s no “one size fits all” answer to that, an early orthodontic evaluation is one of the easiest ways to assess a child’s smile! We’re here to help you with identifying and treating malocclusion in your children.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an initial consultation with an orthodontist by the time a child is about 7 years old. By this age, we’ll be able to get a good look at how their teeth and jaw are growing and gauge the overall development of their bite. If you’ve been wondering whether your child could benefit from orthodontics, it can be helpful to understand what we’re looking for during these evaluations! Although you can always count on our doctors to create a personalized treatment plan for your child’s specific needs, there are several common conditions they’ll be looking out for on this first visit.
Crowded teeth
Brushing and flossing regularly are an essential part of maintaining a healthy mouth. Unfortunately, crowded teeth can make this more difficult to accomplish. Children who have trouble with dental hygiene are more likely to develop tooth decay, cavities, and other dental problems. If your child has crowded teeth that are hard to keep clean, orthodontic treatment can gradually move them into better positions over time. This will give them a more evenly spaced smile! Treatment can also lessen facial tension and relieve some chewing and speech difficulties.
Gapped teeth
Gaps in teeth are very common in childhood. They can occur for a variety of reasons, including genetics, thumb or finger sucking, and extended use of a bottle or pacifier. If your child has a bit too much space between their teeth, our doctors will be able to identify the underlying cause and address it. This can be accomplished with a customized treatment plan designed to close the gaps and improve the function and appearance of their smile.
Missing teeth
Some children have a noticeable gap because of congenitally missing teeth that never grew in. This type of gap can also be created when permanent teeth are lost due to injury or disease. If this is something your child is dealing with, we can use braces or Invisalign to move the existing teeth into the proper positions. Your family dentist can then place a bonded bridge or implant to fill the gap formed from the missing tooth.
Sometimes we can use braces to completely close the spaces that are left from missing teeth. This means no restorations are needed once the orthodontic process is complete! While this approach may take a little longer, it may be able to reduce or eliminate the need for future dental treatment.
Open bite
With an open bite, the upper and lower rows of the front teeth don’t touch or close when smiling or chewing. Many open bite cases come from extended thumb sucking in childhood, which can cause the teeth to grow into a noticeably rounded formation.
Whatever the underlying cause, we’ll generally treat an open bite with a combination of orthodontic appliances. In many cases, we can pair braces or clear aligners with something known as a “Bluegrass” appliance. This device prevents the tongue from putting pressure against the anterior teeth when swallowing, training it to swallow correctly in the process.
Once open bite treatment is complete, your child will enjoy a beautifully aligned smile that allows them to close their teeth properly and eat all their favorite foods with ease.
Deep overbite
When a child has a deep overbite, the lower teeth recede so far behind the upper teeth that they bite into the roof of the mouth. The upper front teeth also overlap the lower front teeth. Out of all the bite disorders, a deep overbite is the most detrimental to the teeth and health of the jaw joints. It can also have an impact on the shape and appearance of a patient’s face.
Depending on how complex the case is, treatment for a deep overbite may require orthodontics and restorative dentistry together, or orthodontics alone may be able to correct it. This will not only improve the functionality of your child’s teeth but will also dramatically improve the appearance of their smile.
Underbite
An underbite occurs when the bottom teeth protrude in front of the upper teeth. This type of bite misalignment can cause pain at the jaw joint and the angled pressure can wear down some of the front teeth. Children with underbites have quite a few treatment options available to them, including:
- an upper jaw expander, which can be widened nightly until treatment is complete
- a reverse-pull face mask, which wraps around the head and attaches to metal bands on the back upper teeth to pull the upper jaw forward
- traditional braces to adjust the misaligned teeth
Treating an underbite successfully will help relieve any pain and discomfort your child is experiencing. This will make smiling, eating, and even breathing easier for them!
Overjet
Overjets are often referred to as “buck teeth” and occur when the top front teeth protrude far beyond the bottom front teeth. It’s most effectively treated when diagnosed early, as this allows us to use the child’s growth to our advantage and guide the eruption of the teeth. The child’s age and specific needs will determine what treatment approach we take, but options generally include:
- bite correction devices
- traditional braces
- removable orthodontic appliances
- tooth removal
- surgery
Once a child’s overjet issues have been treated and corrected, they’ll be left with a healthy, balanced smile that not only looks good but feels good, too!
Give your child’s smile the best start with Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics
If you’ve been thinking about orthodontic treatment for your young child, we’d love to meet you both and take a look at how their mouth is developing so far! At Hamer & Glassick Orthodontics, you can expect a welcoming environment, personalized care, and a stress-free process from beginning to end. To learn more about our early orthodontic evaluations, get in touch today to schedule a FREE consultation with our Charlottesville or Crozet office! Your child’s best smile is waiting for them here.