Parents guide to orthodontic treatment Philadelphia- Shadyside Orthodontics

1. A Parent’s Guide toStarting Orthodontic Treatment for Children Shadyside Orthodontist- Orthodontist treatment Philadelphia Dr. Maria O’Reilly

2. The Straight Facts: It’s Time to See the Orthodontist! Orthodontic experts estimate between 70 and 75 percent of the American population can benefit from treatment for crowded teeth, misalignments or other more severe dental issues that cause serious challenges involving speech or eating The American Association of Orthodontists(AAO)recommends that all childrenhave an orthodontic examination by age 7.

3. A visit with an orthodontist around age 7 is much different than an appointment with the pediatric dentist. A pediatric dentist is focused on the patient’s: • Hygiene • Fluoride levels • Cavities • Education on brushing and flossingAn orthodontist is skilled at determining whether an orthodontic problem exists through this developmental stage. An orthodontist is specialized in: • Recognizing alignment issues • Preventing crowding problems • Identifying serious complications as permanent teeth emerge

4. Benefits to Early Screening There are several advantages to seeing an orthodontist during this early stage of development. They include: •Specialized prognosis of how permanent teeth will develop •Correction of habits that cause developmental problems, including thumb sucking or tongue thrusting •Early intervention of correct bite problems, such as open bite or crossbite •Guidance of growth of the jaw to accommodate emerging permanent teeth, while primary teeth are still in place •Decrease of the risk of damage to any protruding teeth •Alleviation of the need for future and, possibly, more invasive dental correction procedures •Creation of more pleasing and functional arrangement of teeth, lips and face -- builds self esteem and confidence

5. When Does Treatment Start? Options for treatment vary considerably, based on the issues associated with your child’s smile. If we don’t recommend immediate treatment for your child, we will encourage periodic appointments to keep an eye on development. We will schedule appointments to monitor your child’s teeth and growth periodically.

6. Two Phase Treatment Plan Phase One: The goal of phase one is to help your child’s jaw development grow to accommodate all of the permanent teeth. Our efforts will improve the way the upper and lower jaws fit together. Symptoms of a narrow upper jaw or one that is growing too much are recognizable at an early age. Resting Period: During the resting phase, we will allow the remaining permanent teeth to emerge, uninterrupted. We feel it’s best to allow the existing permanent teeth some freedom of movement. •Phase Two: The goal of the second phase is to make sure each tooth has a precise location in the mouth where it is in harmony with the lips, cheeks, tongue and other teeth for optimal function and appearance. This phase may include full upper and lower braces or other orthodontic appliances. Phase two spans an average period of 24 months.

7. Contact Us Shadyside Orthodontics 626 Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148 Phone: 267 940 0300 www.shadysideorthodontics.com

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