Did you know that your overall oral health greatly influences your general well-being? Good oral health is often associated with good health, and the reverse is also true. This is why dentists worldwide encourage people to have a good dental care routine which should include the following:

• Regular brushing and dental flossing
• Professional teeth cleaning and oral examinations at least twice a year
• Brushing with fluoride toothpaste
• Eating foods that are good for your teeth

Dental issues such as misaligned teeth or malocclusion can make it difficult to clean your teeth. This predisposes you to tooth decay and gum disease, which puts you at risk of losing your teeth, leading to difficulties chewing and talking. Taking your kid to a pediatric orthodontist near you from a young age can help correct misalignment issues giving them straighter teeth and avoiding future oral problems.

Who is an Orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dental specialist specializing in diagnosing, preventing, and treating misalignment issues and jaw irregularities. They are trained to identify oral issues that may occur in the future and correct the existing conditions.

Orthodontists at Houston pediatric dentistry treat oral abnormalities like crooked teeth, crowded teeth, underbite, overbite, and jaw misalignment. They will use removable and fixed dental devices like bands, retainers, and braces to alter your teeth into the desired position.

The Guide to Choosing Your Kids’ Orthodontist

When looking for pediatric dental offices near you, there are factors you should consider to ensure your child gets the best care.

• Ask for recommendations

Asking friends, colleagues, and family members for recommendations is one of the most efficient ways to jump-start your search for a pediatric orthodontist. First, ask them about the quality of services offered by their kid’s orthodontists, and then do a background check to confirm they are ideal for your child.

• Check the orthodontist’s experience.

When choosing an orthodontist for your child, years of experience are one factor to consider. Years of exposure give the practitioner extensive knowledge in solving orthodontic issues that affect kids’ leading to more successful treatments.

• Check online reviews

Reading online reviews from other parents’ experiences will give you an insight into the quality of services offered. If the practice has more negative reviews than positive ones, it would be best to avoid them and move on to the next one.

• Consider the environment of the facility.

The environment around the dental office of your kid’s orthodontist should be kid-friendly, and so should the staff to help kids feel comfortable and more relaxed.

4 Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment

According to dental experts, getting early orthodontic treatment has a high chance of being more effective than signing up for treatment later in life. Here are four main benefits of taking your child for early orthodontic treatment at Urbach Pediatric Dentistry.

• It fixes any misalignment issues.

Braces for kids can correct and realign teeth that have erupted out of position. Common misalignment issues include crossbite, overbite, and underbite, all of which can result in jaw issues. Fixing your child’s jaw is way easier when they are young than when they are young adults because their jaw is not fully developed yet. Once it’s developed, it becomes much harder to make the necessary adjustments.

• There is a reduced risk of damaged permanent teeth.

Early orthodontic treatment lowers the risk of damaged teeth by creating room for new permanent teeth. Without adequate space, permanent teeth may cause crowding in your mouth or erupt under other teeth. Both of these issues can damage your child’s teeth, and crowding makes it difficult to clean your teeth.

• It lowers the odds of gum disease.

Overcrowded teeth push against one another, leaving insufficient room for teeth to be thoroughly cleaned. This puts you at risk of dental decay and gum disease. Taking your child to a pediatric orthodontist in Houston, TX, will thus lower their odds of developing gum disease since they will get straighter teeth.

• Boosts confidence and self-esteem

Early orthodontic treatment will boost your child’s confidence and self-esteem by giving them healthy and confident teeth from a young age. Teens can sometimes be self-conscious about their smile hence the need to help them achieve a perfect smile. When your kids are confident from a young age, they will likely grow into confident adults.