Parents often worry that something is wrong when a child’s baby teeth do not fall out as expected. Although there are some developmental issues which require professional attention, most of the time everything is just fine. What should parents expect when it comes to their children losing baby teeth? Baby teeth serve several purposes besides chewing. Primary teeth give rise to the permanent teeth and preserve space for them until they are developed enough to come in. If the baby teeth come out too early, space can be lost causing crowding of the underlying permanent ones. At the other extreme,…
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Archive for the ‘Early Treatment’ Category
Why Aren’t My Child’s Baby Teeth Falling Out?
Posted by Dr. Jorgensen on October 20th, 2011Limitations of Early Orthodontic Treatment
Posted by Dr. Jorgensen on August 10th, 2011I am a big fan of early orthodontic treatment. I treated all three of my own children with two-phased treatment and would do it again. Wonderful things can be accomplished during the first phase of a two-phased treatment. It is time, however, that I “fess up” and explain the things that interceptive care will not accomplish for your child. A lot of the problems we fix through orthodontic treatment are genetic and no matter how accurate our diagnosis and treatment plan, we just can’t overcome the patient’s DNA. There are other corrections that can’t be made in young children because…
Read More >Does Early Orthodontic Treatment Prevent the Need for Braces Later?
Posted by Dr. Jorgensen on June 29th, 2011Our family’s orthodontist recommended early treatment for my daughter. What kinds of problems can be fixed with early treatment? Will having braces at an early age prevent the need for full braces later? The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children be seen at age 7 so that the growth and development of their smile can be evaluated. By age 7 most children have all four of their 6-year-molars and all four central incisors too. With these teeth in place, your doctor can identify most of the orthodontic problems your child may have and can counsel you on whether…
Read More >Doesn’t Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment Cost a Lot More?
Posted by Dr. Jorgensen on June 23rd, 2011Two-phase orthodontic treatment seems to be more popular today than ever. It is not uncommon to see braces on elementary school children. Won’t waiting to get braces until all the teeth are in save us money? There are two schools of thought when it comes to the timing of orthodontic treatment. Some orthodontists do not believe in performing treatment of any kind until all the baby teeth have been lost. Most however, follow the American Association of Orthodontists’ recommendation that all children be screened at age 7. While not all orthodontic problems can be fixed at this age, the severity…
Read More >Is Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment Really Necessary?
Posted by Dr. Jorgensen on June 16th, 2011One of my daughter’s best friends just got braces on. She is only seven years old, and hasn’t even lost all her baby teeth. Isn’t she too young for orthodontic treatment? Two-phase treatment (also known as early, preventative, or interceptive orthodontics) is an approach to orthodontic care that remains controversial in some professional circles. While a few university studies suggest that the same occlusal results can be achieved in a single phase after all the permanent teeth are in, these studies do not take into consideration all the facts. Most of the studies quoted by those who are not in…
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