When Should Your Child See an Orthodontist?

Ahh, braces. They were the bane of our existence in junior high and high school. Maybe we were reluctant to smile, or our classmates poked fun of us and called us “metal mouth,” and we had to be constantly vigilant of what goes in our mouth and to clean our teeth so thoroughly after every meal. But when they came off – oh, sweet freedom!

Perhaps you are now at that time in your life in which your children, who have been “blessed” with your teeth, may be ready to visit the orthodontist to talk about braces and other orthodontic care. But how can you know for sure if your child needs braces? And how early is “too early?”

It's best for the orthodontist to see children by age 8 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required. Permanent teeth begin to erupt and emerge from the gums, which is also the best time to pinpoint any dental issues such as crossbites, crowding, and other problems. It’s always better to see someone at a young age to find that no treatment is needed at the time than to try to fix the problems of someone who should’ve been seen at an earlier age.

Does age 8 seem a bit young to you? Are you asking yourself, “Well, I got braces when I was in my preadolescent years, so why does my child have to go so much earlier than I did?”

There are quite a few big advantages to being screened at an early age and (potentially) receiving orthodontic treatment. For one thing, early orthodontic treatment corrects problems that would otherwise worsen in the adult years. The corrections can also be done more easily at an early age since the bones are still growing.

Braces, which actually harken back to ancient times (yes, that’s right – some unearthed mummies had wires wrapped around their teeth to give them a prettier and more efficient smile!), are put in place to slowly straighten the teeth in one’s mouth. Braces put steady pressure on the teeth and help them stay in place for a certain amount of time.

So how do you know if your child is in need of braces? Naturally, we’ll screen your child to see if he or she needs treatment right now or in the near future, but you can also keep a lookout for these other signs:

*your child lost baby teeth early or late.

*your child’s teeth don’t meet at all.

*your child has trouble chewing or biting.

*your child’s upper front teeth protrudes and is more than 25% past the bottom teeth.

*your child sucks on his or her fingers beyond age five or six

*your child’s teeth are otherwise poorly positioned.

Remember, the goal of all orthodontic treatment is to give the person a good bite; that is, we want to give them straight teeth that mesh well together. With straight teeth, one can chew, bite, and talk much more easily, and the person’s dental health and overall health (and definitely self-esteem) is enhanced.

If you think you’re ready to visit an orthodontist for your child, then it’s time to stop by Mastroianni Orthodontics! We love to give people amazing smiles that they’ll have for the rest of their lives! Visit our website at www.amazingsmiles.com or call 618-288-0600 to make an appointment today!

Meet Dr. Mastroianni

Dr. Mastroianni found his 'calling' for orthodontics at an early age. Born in Granite City, Illinois in 1971, Dr. Jeff was inspired by his uncle who was a pediatric dentist. He took note of the amazing relationships his uncle seemed to develop with his patients and felt dentistry could be the career for him. During his youth, he enjoyed playing soccer, baseball, and wrestling. Jeff was on the high school soccer and wrestling teams and graduated in 1989 from Hunterdon Central High School in New Jersey.

After graduation, he attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, and majored in biology.Once undergraduate studies were completed, he attended Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine in Alton, Illinois. Here Dr. Jeff learned all the basic skills in dentistry and even a bit of orthodontics! He was named Class President in both his sophomore and junior years, and was Student Body President during his senior year. In addition to these positions, he held various committee positions as well as a spot on the prestigious Dean’s Advisory Board. After graduating from SIU Dental School with honors (Cum Laude) in 1998, Dr. Mastroianni accepted a position at Saint Louis University to study Orthodontics. After two and a half years of study, he finished the program and earned a masters degree.

Dr. Jeff is known for his zany sense of humor as well as the caring way he treats each and every person he meets. He is thankful for all the genuine compliments he and his staff receive every day and the entire team uses those kind words as motivation to reach higher levels of service and care for our patients. He is also very involved in the local community, donating orthodontic treatment to schools and other organizations to help raise money for good causes.

Dr. Jeff has been married to his lovely wife Julie for 11 years, and they have 2 daughters, Anna (8) and Nikki (5). Dr. Jeff has been active in local civic organizations, as well as the local Dental Society. In his spare time he likes to spend time with family, golf, read, snow ski, travel, and watch almost any type of sporting event.