Early Interceptive Treatment

Timing is everything when it comes to your children’s teeth, and your decisions today can deeply impact their oral health in the future. That’s why it’s essential to get early interceptive care for your kids. As your child grows, small oral problems can surface, and it is important to immediately evaluate their teeth and fix any orthodontic problems. Otherwise, these can develop into much larger problems later in life.  

Taking your child to a skilled orthodontist may help save the health of their teeth. Always trust an accredited, certified orthodontist for kids who has experience working with children.

What Is Early Interceptive Treatment?

Orthodontics is a blanket term that covers a vast array of services and practices, which can cater to people of all ages. Early interceptive treatment is a narrow specialty within this field, and it focuses on detecting and addressing troubling orthodontic issues while a patient is young. Families who pursue this treatment have an opportunity to guarantee better oral health throughout their child’s life. 

What Is The Process Of Early Interceptive Treatment?

Interceptive care is provided to pediatric patients in a phased manner, which ensures effective solutions for your child’s current and future oral problems. An orthodontics specialist starts with a thorough initial screening to assess the teeth and diagnose any current or future oral problems. 

Your orthodontist will determine the seriousness of the diagnosed issues and whether your child requires immediate treatment. Early interceptive treatment is a customized and specialized procedure that focuses on teeth straightening and skeletal corrections. It takes place in two phases:

1. Phase I:
   Phase I treatment takes place when there is a mix of both milk teeth and permanent teeth. It focuses on correcting the formation of the upper and lower jaws, as well as making space for permanent teeth in order to avoid overcrowding. This treatment will help prevent trauma in the gums, teeth, and jaws. It will also make later teeth straightening quicker and easier. Your child’s orthodontist will inform you if your child needs Phase I treatment.
2. Phase II:
   Phase II treatment happens when all of your child’s permanent teeth have fully grown. During this period, all of the teeth are placed in their correct positions. You can get braces or Invisalign to straighten your child’s teeth. In this phase, the treatment length is much shorter and includes fewer hassles. You will also notice a reduction in bite issues and overcrowding problems due to the progress made during the Phase I treatment.

What Is The Appropriate Time For Early Interceptive Treatment?

The most effective treatments are those that are given on time. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child should receive their first orthodontic screening by age 7, when permanent teeth begin to erupt. At this point, parents and children begin to notice issues like overcrowding, misaligned teeth, and improper bite. Other major issues that can be detected are problematic skeletal growth and asymmetrical jaw growth. 

Who Should Receive Early Interceptive Treatment?

Ideally, children between the ages of 6 and 10 should receive early interceptive care, and it is recommended that every child should undergo screening at this age. However, some parents can be wary of getting treatment for their child at such a young age. Skilled orthodontists for kids will never prescribe treatment options that don’t suit your child’s needs. It is also worth noting that many children don’t require early treatment. Nevertheless, early treatment can greatly benefit those who do need it.

The child’s age is not the only thing spurring families to seek early interceptive treatment for their kids. Pronounced crowding of permanent teeth, injurious loss of milk teeth, and protruding teeth are other reasons patients come to our office for the first time. Keep an eye out for jaw pain, bite issues, and improper chewing patterns. Orthodontic troubles can also cause difficulty in speaking properly. These problems go well beyond the aesthetics of your child’s teeth. When provided on time, early interceptive care can effectively treat these serious conditions.