This period is where teeth and dental arch develops rapidly. Let’s discuss!

The first adult tooth will form at the age of 6. Here, you will noticed a mix of baby and adult teeth in your child’s mouth. This is an important period to ensure all teeth are clean, healthy and strong and also to detect any bad oral habits early that may cause misaligned teeth in future. 

Although baby teeth will exfoliate, any tooth decay in the mouth will result in bacteria formation to the adult teeth as well. It is important to fill up the cavities in baby teeth to prevent worsening of the condition that will result in pain for the children.

Developing good oral hygiene routine:

We will teach children how to brush and guide them. It is important to brush teeth:

• 2 times a day, every morning and night time
• Brush 2 minutes long
• Floss every night before brushing
• Routine dental check up every 6 months
• Replace toothbrush every 3 months

Develop good dental arch form to accommodate all the teeth

Learn more about orthodontics

As your child’s first set of permanent molars erupts our dentist can begin to identify potential issues that may require braces or another form of orthodontics. When dental intervention occurs early enough it can sometimes prevent the need for braces entirely, which is why we always recommend that your child is regularly checked every six months. 

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7. By that age, a child will have a mix of baby and permanent teeth, and the orthodontist will be able to recognize orthodontic problems (“malocclusions”) even in their earliest stages.

If your child is younger than 7, and you notice something that appears “off,” it’s not necessary to wait until your child turns 7 or get a recommendation from your dentist to get a first check-up. If your child is 8 or older, it is not too late for a check-up with an orthodontist.

Watch out for the following:

• Thumb sucking: it’s important for children to stop sucking their thumb after age 3. A consultation with our dentist may be helpful if this behavior continues after the age of 3.
• Teeth grinding (bruxism): potentially can lead to severe headaches, sensitive teeth, tooth decay, and damage. If your child is grinding their teeth past the age of 6, we recommend setting up a consultation with our office. Our dentist will check for their airway, nasal vs mouth breathing habit in children.
• Crooked teeth: while they may appear cute at first, crooked teeth can be debilitating as life moves along. If you notice your child has the markings of crooked teeth, schedule an appointment with our dentist.

Early Correction Treatment can bring lots of benefits to the child. We would detect signs of compromised airway, sleep disordered breathing in children, teeth grinding, mouth breathing and narrow arch that results in crowding of teeth.

Treatment options like myobrace, expander and Invisalign First can help to correct the dental issues. Early correction at this age group can greatly avoid the need for extractions of usually four healthy teeth after all the permanent teeth has erupted.