Get Ahead of Your Dental Issues with Orthodontic Screenings
There is more to a perfectly aligned smile than cosmetics—a straight smile promotes good oral hygiene and eliminates jaw pain and premature dental wear. Orthodontic screenings in Westwood, Massachusetts, play a crucial role in ensuring the dental health and alignment of smiles for children and adults. These assessments identify and address underlying dental issues that could impact oral health. Early orthodontic screenings at Westwood Dentistry can make a significant difference, whether for a young child whose teeth are just beginning to come in or an adult considering corrective treatment.
When should I seek orthodontic care?
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, children should seek orthodontic care no later than seven years of age. At this stage, the jaws are still developing, and permanent teeth are still coming in. However, if the child is demonstrating signs of sleep breathing issues or improper jaw growth, then we work with specialized Orthodontists to address those needs as early as 4 years old. Orthodontic screenings can catch problems early on and address them before they escalate. Adults can seek orthodontic care at any stage. Whether you want orthodontic care to improve aesthetics or oral health, schedule an appointment with Drs. Monica Anand and Anshuman Rawat.
What should I expect from an orthodontic screening?
Ortho screening is a minimally invasive procedure in which the dentist inspects the alignment of teeth, jaws, and facial structures. Although many people think orthodontics is all about straightening teeth, we do more than that.
Misaligned teeth or malocclusions, such as overbites, underbites, and crossbites, can cause long-term dental problems. They create areas that can harbor bacteria and plaque, raising the chances of gum disease and tooth decay. Misaligned teeth also affect your bite, which causes premature dental wear, enamel loss, and TMJ pain. Orthodontics helps address how your bite and teeth fit together to improve functionality and aesthetics.
The orthodontic screening starts with a consultation, during which the dentist reviews your medical and dental history. This helps the dentist understand previous treatments, ongoing dental concerns, and other factors that could influence your orthodontic health.
We’ll also perform a visual exam to identify misalignments, gaps, and malocclusions. This assessment helps the orthodontist identify any visible concerns that might require treatment. Being the technologically advanced dental office that we are, we use an Intraoral scanner to make a digital copy of the upper and lower jaws, which actually helps you to visually see the condition of the mouth in 3-dimension. Orthodontic concerns go beyond surface-level aesthetics. Digital X-rays and CT scans allow us to know the position of the teeth and jaws beneath the gum line, including the roots and any impacted teeth.
Following your orthodontic exam, we will create a treatment plan to enhance oral health. There is rarely an orthodontic condition that cannot be managed with clear aligners as compared to traditional braces. Our office uses Invisalign® because of its proven track record and an incredible amount of research in the development of the product. Apart from that, the system provides comfort, convenience, and discreteness.
What are the benefits of orthodontic screenings?
Orthodontic screenings for children diagnose issues early, preventing them from progressing to a more challenging stage. Pediatric orthodontic evaluation can identify problems like misalignments, overcrowding, or bite irregularities and correct them at a stage when the bones are still growing and more malleable.
The other benefits of ortho screenings include:
- Improved quality of life
- Eliminates the emergence of future orthodontic problems
- Enhanced confidence and aesthetics
- Improvement of oral health
- Improvement in Sleep Breathing Disorders (SBD)
Do you need orthodontic screenings?
Westwood Dentistry helps patients enjoy healthy, confident smiles for life. Schedule an appointment today with our doctors for orthodontic evaluations in Westwood, MA.Don’t wait to invest in your smile’s future—call (781) 514-6443 as a first step toward a lifetime of beautiful, healthy smiles.
