Braces for kids in Dallas TX

Everyone deserves a smile they're proud to call their own.

At Ferrari Orthodontics we're proud to offer a wide variety of treatment options to our patients, and Dr. Martin works hard to personalize treatment to fit any lifestyle.

We treat patients of all ages at our Dallas orthodontic office and while most patients can wait until their teenage years to start treatment, there are times when it’s best to start the process early in life.

WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD VISIT THE ORTHODONTIST?

Parents often ask us when to bring their child in for an orthodontic evaluation- the answer may be earlier than you’d think!

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends parents bring their children in for an initial orthodontic consultation at or around the age 7.

In most cases, the child’s bite has started to establish itself by this age, allowing Dr. Martin to identify both current orthodontic problems as well as things that may become an issue in the future.

THE BENEFITS OF EARLY ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT

Early orthodontic treatment isn't right for everyone.  However, there are cases in which it is the best way to create a healthy smile over the long term. Early treatment can be used to correct a bad habit that may harm dental development, to set the stage for the permanent teeth to erupt into a better position, or to influence jaw growth without surgery.

  • Create more space in the dental arch to alleviate crowding

    Prevent the need for future tooth extraction

    Reduce the risk of trauma to flared front teeth

    Preserve space for teeth that have yet to erupt

    Reduce the overall amount of time a patient spends in braces

    Influence jaw growth to improve facial symmetry

DOES MY CHILD NEED EARLY ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT?

For most patients, we wait to start orthodontic treatment until all the permanent teeth have fully emerged into the mouth.  However, a few orthodontic conditions are much easier to treat by starting early when we are still able to influence jaw growth and development. Ultimately, only an evaluation by Dr. Martin can determine if your child needs early orthodontic treatment.

  • Losing baby teeth either too early or too late

    Visibly crowded, misaligned teeth

    Teeth that don't line up correctly when biting down

    Difficulty when biting or chewing food

    Pain in the jaw joint or popping sounds when opening or closing the jaw

    Prolonged thumb sucking (past age 4)

    Constantly breathing through the mouth

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR CHILD'S FIRST ORTHODONTIC APPOINTMENT

During your child's first visit to our Dallas orthodontic office, Dr. Martin will carefully examine their teeth, jaw, and mouth for any signs of orthodontic problems.

Many of these conditions will not manifest themselves until closer to adolescence but evaluating at this age allows for us to catch problems early on.

Some of the most common that appear early in life include:

  • Crowding

  • Overbite

  • Openbite

  • Crossbite

Keep in mind that we may not begin treatment at this early age – in most cases, we'll elect to simply monitor your child's development until the ideal time to start treatment. However, in certain cases, a patient may benefit from starting treatment early on. That's where early orthodontic treatment comes into play. 

 SCHEDULE A VISIT WITH YOUR Dallas Orthodontist

Early treatment isn't right for everyone, but for some patients, it's a necessary step to achieving a healthy smile. Feel free contact us if you have more questions about early treatment or orthodontic treatment in general. 

We look forward to meeting you!