We look at much more than whether the front teeth are straight.
At Sharp Smiles, Dr. Sharp evaluates your child’s teeth, bite, eruption pattern and developing jaw relationships while considering the broader picture of facial growth and function.
Depending on your child’s individual needs, the evaluation may include:
- Tooth eruption. Are the permanent teeth developing and erupting in the expected sequence and position?
- Available space. Is there adequate room for the permanent teeth, or is significant crowding developing?
- The bite. Do the upper and lower teeth fit together appropriately? Is there a crossbite, underbite, open bite, excessive overjet or another developing bite problem?
- Jaw relationships and facial growth. How are the upper and lower jaws developing relative to one another? Is the growth pattern balanced, or are there findings we should monitor?
- Symmetry and function. Does your child shift the jaw to one side when biting? Is there anything unusual about how the teeth come together?
- Oral habits and oral posture. Are thumb or finger habits affecting the bite? Does your child comfortably maintain lip closure and nasal breathing, or are there patterns worth exploring further?
- Breathing and sleep history. Has your child been chronically mouth breathing, snoring, sleeping restlessly or showing other symptoms that deserve discussion with their pediatrician or another appropriate healthcare professional?
- Eruption concerns. Are any permanent teeth following an unusual eruption path or at risk of becoming impacted?
The goal is to understand your child’s development as a whole and give you useful information about what we’re seeing.
Every child’s development is different. If something here sounds familiar, the next step isn’t braces. It’s a conversation with Dr. Sharp.
