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Out of the Mouths of Babes: Orthodontic Checks by Age 7

By: Christine K. Abenoja, DMD, MS

Although many people associate orthodontic treatment with adolescence, Birmingham Orthodontist Christine Abenoja, DMD, MS, says that orthodontists can spot subtle problems with jaw growth or with the teeth much earlier, while the primary or “baby” teeth are present.

Parents may incorrectly assume they must wait until a child has all of his or her permanent teeth.  However, Dr. Abenoja and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommend that every child get a check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7.

“I can’t emphasize how important it is that parents understand the value of an orthodontic check- up,” says Dr. Abenoja.  “By age 7, enough permanent teeth have arrived for an orthodontist to evaluate the “bite” – the manner in which teeth and jaws meet and work, and how that relationship affects a child’s ability to bite, chew and speak effectively.  Orthodontists can determine what, if anything, is awry.

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

Some of the more readily apparent conditions that indicate the need for an examination include:

  • 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. Abenoja notes that protrusive front teeth can be prone to injury.

 

About Abenoja Orthodontics:

Dr. Christine Abenoja graduated at the top of her class from the University Of Connecticut School Of Dental Medicine in 2005, where she was elected to membership in OKU, a dental honor society and received numerous awards including the prestigious American College of Dentists Award.

She completed her specialty training at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and received her Master of Science in Orthodontics in 2008. She maintains a position as Associate Professor at UAB School of Dentistry where she teaches the current Orthodontic residents while treating patients at the Veteran’s Administration in Birmingham.

Dr. Abenoja brings an eye for beauty and detail from her artistic background as a graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and an enthusiasm for bringing that beauty to each patient’s smile. She encourages patients to grow in their strengths through the challenges of orthodontics and enjoy the positive power of a smile. She is currently an Orthodontist in a private practice in Birmingham and Warrior Alabama.

Abenoja Orthodontics is located at 8000 Liberty Parkway in Vestavia
www.bracesbham.com

 

 

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