Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/545664
hvparent.com n Hudson Valley Parent 5 Beautiful, Stunning Smiles that will Last a Lifetime. Most parents know that routine dental care should begin during their child's toddler years. And many assume they must wait until their child has all of his permanent teeth to visit an orthodontist for an initial consultation. Dr. Oran Pachter, a board certified orthodontist at Pachter Orthodontics, knows that baby teeth or not, parents shouldn't wait to scheduled their child's first appointment. Timing is everything "The ideal age for an orthodontic evaluation is age seven," says Dr. Pachter. "Typically the first molars have come in by this time, giving the orthodontist an opportunity to check for a malocclusion, or 'bad bite.'" Also, by the time your child reaches age seven, the incisors have started to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites, and open bites can be detected. Another common problem that arises and can actually be more easily corrected at a young age is a crossbite. "A crossbite is when an upper tooth falls inside or behind a lower tooth when you bite down," explains Dr. Pachter Observation is key Dr. Oran Pachter can tell right away whether or not your child will need early treatment or if you should wait until they're old enough for full braces. "Often-times when a young child comes in with a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth we don't need to perform any treatment," says Dr. Pachter. "Rather, we observe the child every 6 months to make sure that the baby teeth are falling out at the right time and the adult teeth are coming in properly. Then, when the adult teeth have come in, we can begin comprehen- sive orthodontic treatment if needed." Telltale signs There are several ways to determine whether your child needs early treatment. If you observe any of these characteristics or behaviors, you should talk to Dr. Oran Pachter: • Early or late loss of baby teeth • The child's teeth do not meet properly or at all • The child is older than six years and still sucks a thumb • Biting or chewing difficulties • Protruding teeth, typically in the front • A speech impediment Early orthodontic treatment occurs while the child's jaw bones are still soft. "There are conditions that can be corrected more easily with more stable results if correct- ed early," says Dr. Pachter. "Early treatment often allows your child to achieve results that may not be pos- sible once the face and jaws have finished growing." Early treatment is an effective preventive measure that lays the foundation for a healthy, stable mouth in adulthood. Dr. Oran Pachter is a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthodontics and maintains his private orthodontic practice, Pachter Orthodontics, in Middletown. His practice is open to children, teens, and adults. Orthodontic appointments at 7… brace yourself! "The ideal age for an orthodontic evaluation is age seven," says Dr. Pachter. 845-343-8212 • PachterOrtho.com 465 E. Main Street, Middletown, NY 10940