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As some of the state’s best pediatric dentists, the team from Pedodontic Associates in Hawaii is committed to providing parents with useful insights about maintaining their children’s dental care and wellness. One topic their team often gets asked about is when to begin orthodontic treatment. While each patient is different, there is some general information parents should be aware of. Below, these pediatric dentists, based on Oahu and Maui, share some of their best advice.

For starters, there’s a common misconception bringing a child to see an orthodontist at too young an age will be counterproductive, since their teeth may still be coming in and shifting. In fact, the time when development is still occurring is actually ideal for some types of orthodontic work because it can encourage proper tooth growth.

pediatric dentistsFor instance, when a child’s teeth are coming in, orthodontics such as palatal expanders can proactively treat conditions such as a crossbite because the jaw is still developing. If such issues are left to be addressed at a later point, however, they could require more invasive measures, such as surgery, to correct.

Additionally, it can be extremely difficult to assess whether an orthodontic problem is developing when a child is young or if it’s just a normal developmental variation. For this reason, many pediatric dentists recommend patients have an orthodontic examination at the age of seven, when an expert can determine whether the mouth has ample room to accommodate all the adult teeth as they grow in. Active treatment may not begin for another few years, but an orthodontist will be able to keep a close watch on development until that point to determine the best course of action for your child’s unique needs.

The expert pediatric dentists from Pedodontic Associates will oversee your child’s oral wellness through every step of their growth and development, whether they need orthodontic treatment or not. To set up an appointment, call (808) 487-7933 for their Aiea office, (808) 735-1733 for their Honolulu practice, or (808) 877-0666 to make an appointment in Kahului. You can also visit them online for more details about their services.

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