Miami Lakes Pediatric Orthodontist Specialist in Orthodontics for Children
Even if a child is starting to show signs that they will need braces at an early age, our experience and national consensus agree that a child’s first orthodontic check-up should occur around the age of seven. The fact is that most kids will not need orthodontic treatment at such an early age if any at all. Still, it is an excellent idea to have a check-up with a Miami orthodontic specialist to find out if there are any areas of concern for your child’s teeth, jaw, bite, etc.
Soon after your child has moved from primary (“baby”) teeth into adult teeth, he or she may start to show signs. Several orthodontic issues can and should be addressed at an early age, such as:
- Underbites, overbites, cross bites, narrow jaw formation, thumb sucking, over jetting of teeth, etc.
- Some signs that your child may need orthodontic treatment would be problems with speech, misaligned jaw growth,
- At Lakes Orthodontics, we are quite experiencing in dealing with and addressing the needs of kids in need of braces.
We encourage parents to visit us for a free consultation around the age of seven. It is around this age that gaps and misaligned become more obvious. This is because as kids lose their baby teeth, there is often not enough space for larger permanent ones to take their space. It is also around this time when braces are the most effective.
So, whether it appears or you think that your child needs pediatric orthodontic treatment, the easiest way to find out is to make a free no, obligation consultation with the award-winning, board-certified Miami Lakes children’s orthodontist Dr. Carmen Briceño Crespi. Give us a call at (305) 820-6800 or fill out the form below, and one of our smile specialists will contact you as indicated.
Here’s More Information Related to Orthodontics for Children in the Miami Lakes Area
The Impact Of a Child’s Smile On Their Life
Why braces are a great investment for your kid’s future.
I am the proud parent of two beautiful daughters and the co-owner of a successful orthodontic practice in Miami Lakes, Florida. This has brought me an amazing opportunity to interact with thousands of families in my community and gain insight into family relationships and parenting from many different points of view. Throughout the years of helping families in my office, I have found that there are a vast number of family dynamics and parenting styles. I have parents that are very hands-on with their children and tend to be there with them at every step of treatment and there are also parents that like to give their kids space and let them go through the process more on their own. I do not believe that there is a single correct way to raise your child, but I have noticed that regardless of the parenting style there are certain universal truths in parenting. We all want the best opportunities for our kids and we all want to see our kids succeed.
Whether it be in school, an activity or just life in general. Parents often echo the same sentiment which is, “I just want my kid to be happy, successful and become the very best version of themselves.” As parents, we find several ways to invest in our kids future wellbeing: education, health, fitness, diet, pre-paid college, etc. Although I too invest in all of these areas for my two daughters future I have found that investing in your child’s smile is often overlooked by parents and just as important in giving them the opportunity to succeed.
Your child being confident in their smile and appearance is one of the most empowering things that you can give your child. The smile has been studied for years and it has been directly correlated to self-confidence, self-worth, happiness and a variety of other psychological, social, and health-related impacts. Making sure that your child has a healthy and beautiful smile is paramount in providing the best opportunity for success for your child. An orthodontist needs to be a part of your parenting plan as they are the specialist that is best suited to help educate you and your child about their smile and make sure that your child is smiling with confidence. Here are a few points on the impact that your child’s smile has on them and their life.
Impact of your child’s smile on their life:
- Psychological: your child’s ability to smile with confidence can have huge psychological impacts on the child as it can directly affect their self-confidence and willingness to show their teeth/smile. Imagine having a smile that you are ashamed to show in public or not wanting to smile for pictures. When we are happy, we smile. We should all feel confident to smile and not be ashamed by our appearance.
- Social: Children are going through so many physical changes throughout childhood and are constantly seeing other children in school, clubs, events, etc. This is the time where children are developing social confidence in interacting with others their age and figuring out the general way of the world. If a child cannot be confident in their smile this can often lead to lack of social interaction due to embarrassment or even worse, it can lead to teasing or bullying. Based on scientific research the #1 physical attribute that bullies target are abnormal teeth.
- Health: Having misaligned teeth or bite issues can lead to several health issues. If teeth are blocked by other misaligned teeth they can often create hygiene issues which can lead to cavities and a variety of other health issues. In addition, children with large gaps or “bucked teeth” (often found in thumb sucking children) can often cause speech issues in children as the tongue cannot make contact with the teeth and properly pronounce words. This can often lead to children falling behind in communication and teasing/bullying.
In short, we all want to do what is best for our children and ensure that they are happy and healthy. Make sure that part of your parenting plan includes taking your child to see an orthodontist by the age of 7 in order to get them checked out by a specialist and ensure that you are giving them the best opportunity to be successful.