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Austin Orthodontist Claims that Childhood Check-ups Help Correct Minor Issues Before They Become Major Problems

October 11, 2012

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Austin, TX (RPRN) 10/11/12 — Austin Family Orthodontist Dr. Brian Peters joins the American Association of Orthodontists in recommending that all children visit the orthodontist for a check-up no later than age 7. 

Although many people associate orthodontic treatment with adolescence, Dr. Brian J. Peters, a premier orthodontist in the Austin, TX area, says that orthodontists can spot subtle problems with jaw growth or with the teeth much earlier, while the primary or “baby” teeth are present.

No Need to Wait For the Baby Teeth to Fall Out

Parents often incorrectly assume that they must wait until a child has all of his or her permanent teeth before visiting the orthodontist. However, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that every child be scheduled for a check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7. These childhood checkups allow orthodontists to identify potential problems early, allowing them the opportunity to correct these minor issues before they turn into major mouth problems. Dr. Peters emphatically agrees with the AAO’s assertion, claiming “the earlier the better” when it comes to orthodontic check-ups.

“I can't overemphasize how important it is that parents understand the value of an orthodontic check- up,” says Dr. Peters. “By age 7, enough permanent teeth have arrived for an orthodontist to evaluate relationships developing between teeth, jaw and bite. Orthodontists can determine what, if anything is awry.

“An early visit to the orthodontist can ease a parent’s mind, too,” notes Dr. Peters. “Our recommendation may simply be ‘let's wait and see’ while the face and jaws continue to grow.”

Early Warning Signs of Potential Orthodontic Problems:

Some of the more readily apparent

Dr. Brian J Peters of Austin Family Orthodontics

early or late loss of baby teeth

difficulty in chewing or biting

mouth breathing

thumb sucking

crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth

jaws that shift or make sounds

speech difficulties

biting the cheek or the roof of the mouth

teeth that meet abnormally, or don’t meet at all

facial imbalance

jaws that are too far forward or back

grinding or clenching of the teeth

Dr. Peters notes that protrusive teeth can be prone to injury. However, early identification and treatment of protrusive teeth can greatly reduce the likelihood of injury.

ABOUT DR. PETERS

 Dr. Brian Peters is an Ivy League graduate having attended the Columbia School of Dental Medicine and completed an additional three year, advanced educational program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center.

Dr. Peters is a member of the AAO, which has 16,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad. Orthodontists are uniquely qualified specialists who correct improperly aligned teeth and jaws (bad bites). They receive an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school in order to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth. Only those with this formal education may call themselves “orthodontists,” and only orthodontists are eligible for membership in the AAO. To learn more about the AAO, visit their website at www.braces.org, or to learn more about Dr. Peter’s practice, Austin Family Orthodontics, visit www.austinfamilyorthodontics.com.

Austin Family Orthodontics

12501 Hymeadow Drive #1D

Austin, TX 78750

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