We help you make the best decision for your child’s smile, health, and quality of life. Our orthodontists have years of experience caring for young children in early orthodontic treatment!
According to the American Association of Orthodontics, children should receive their first orthodontic exam by age 7. Around this age, the baby teeth are shedding and the adult teeth are starting to erupt. This is the ideal time for our highly-experienced orthodontists to complete an early screening at one of our four locations in South Tampa, North Tampa, Wesley Chapel and East Bradenton!
Our orthodontists are trained to assess the position of the teeth and bite to detect orthodontic conditions before they pose a problem. We will only suggest treatment if we identify a condition that requires early intervention, or we determine that treatment will improve your child’s quality of life.
It’s ideal to begin early orthodontic treatment (if necessary) around age 8 or 9. That’s why we advise you to bring your child in for their first orthodontic screening around this age.
Beginning orthodontic treatment while the permanent teeth are emerging is optimal, because the teeth can be guided into alignment with minimal resistance.
Your child deserves a confident smile that strengthens their self-esteem and enables a healthy bite function! If our orthodontists determine early orthodontic treatment is necessary during your child’s exam, we may suggest two-phase orthodontic treatment to align the teeth and guide development of the jaw bones.
Not every child will require orthodontic treatment at age 7. Your child’s treatment plan will be personalized to his or her unique needs. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.
If you haven’t scheduled your complimentary consultation yet, get started today. You have nothing to lose, only confidence to gain!
An early orthodontic screening enables us to monitor the growth and development of the teeth, jaw bones, and facial structure. The sooner we’re able to detect skeletal growth deformities, asymmetries, or a problematic dental structure, the sooner we’re able to intervene with orthodontic treatment to stop these conditions from developing further.
Our goal with early orthodontic treatment is to guide emerging teeth and support proper jaw bone growth to create a harmonious facial appearance and a beautiful smile that will lead to a lifetime of confidence!
Early orthodontic treatment often occurs in two separate phases to focus on creating a healthy foundation for teeth to grow and aligning the teeth with symmetrical facial development.
Phase 1 orthodontic treatment is typically completed between the ages of 7 and 10 and is aimed to prepare the mouth for permanent teeth to emerge in a healthy alignment with a sufficient amount of space.
During this phase, your child may be treated with a palatal expander appliance to widen the upper jaw and create enough room for permanent teeth to grow.
This phase generally begins in the early teen years, when all of the permanent teeth have erupted. Phase 2 treatment focuses on aligning the teeth and jaws to create a harmonious facial appearance. During this phase, a full treatment of braces or Invisalign is often completed.
Every child develops at a different rate, and your child’s treatment plan will be 100% personalized to his or her needs. At your first visit, we’ll help you make the right choice for your little one!
If your child is around the age of 7 and hasn’t received his or her complimentary orthodontic assessment, we encourage you to request one today!
If you don’t know whether your child is in need of treatment, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Dr. Cetta and Dr. Heddaya are our experienced orthodontists in South Tampa, North Tampa, Wesley Chapel and East Bradenton. We’re here for you and your family! Get started today.
