Web Site by Sesame Design™	Orthodontic Exams Should Begin No Later Than Age Seven The following early warning signs usually indicate that your child should have an orthodontic exam: Early or late loss of teeth Difficulty in chewing or biting Mouth breathing Finger sucking or other oral habits Crowding, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude Speech difficulty Biting the cheek or into the roof of the mouth Protruding teeth Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don't meet at all Facial imbalance Grinding or clenching of teeth If your child is approaching the age of seven, it's time to make an appointment for an initial exam. The American Association of Orthodontists has recommended that, unless a child is having a particular dental problem, the proper age for a child's first visit to the orthodontist is no later than seven years of age. Zaytoun Orthodontics strongly encourages this practice. Often Doctors Zaytoun will identify a potential problem, but recommend monitoring the child's growth and development. They can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while bay teeth are present. Remember, Zaytoun Orthodontics can improve most orthodontic problems at any age, but there is usually a best age in terms of the amount of improvement that can be achieved as well as the type of treatment employed and cost required. That best age is different for every patient, so the best time for a consultation is as soon as a possible problem is noticed. For those families with preschoolers, the American Dental Association has recommended that the proper age for a child's first visit to the dentist is three years of age. Usually all of the child's primary teeth have erupted by then, and the teeth can be checked and cleaned without discomfort. The child and the parents can be given instructions in proper tooth brushing and advice on the proper diet to maintain maximum dental health. 5041 Six Forks Rd, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27609 | 919.782.6911 100 Preston Executive Drive, Cary, NC 27513 | 919.468.1765 611 Benson Road, Garner, NC 27529 | 919.772.8442