Do You Know If You Need Braces?

At Stormberg Orthodontics, we’ve helped countless patients throughout the San Diego and El Cajon, California areas achieve beautiful, healthy smiles with braces, Invisalign and other orthodontic treatments. Our family orthodontist provides outstanding orthodontic dental care to children, teens, and adults and we are excited to serve you all. But as a parent, you may wonder if your child will eventually need some type of orthodontic treatment. If you’re wondering how to tell if you or your child needs braces or any other orthodontic treatment, we’d love to shed a little light on the subject.

How Do You Know if You Need Braces or Invisalign?

Does Your Child Need Braces or Invisalign Teen?

The bottom line is, you don’t have to know whether or not your child needs braces or whether you are a good fit for orthodontic treatment. That’s the job of a trained family orthodontist like Dr. Stormberg! Dr. Stormberg is skilled at examining patients of all ages and determining if you need orthodontic treatment now — or down the line! The first step is making an appointment for that first visit. Regardless of how the teeth look, American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child should have an initial orthodontic evaluation when they reach the age of 7. At this age, the back bite is fully established, which allows our family orthodontist to identify both current orthodontic problems and any problems that may form down the line. We may or may not start with early orthodontic treatment right away, but evaluating early gives us the flexibility to monitor your child’s growth and choose the ideal time for treatment.

Do you Need Braces or Invisalign?

As an adult, you likely recognize the many challenges you live with when you have crooked teeth. Not only will crooked teeth damage your self-confidence, it can also be a detriment to your physical health. If you are suffering from any of these current orthodontic problems you are always welcome to come in for a complimentary examination and find out how easy it might be to achieve the beautiful, healthy smile you’ve always dreamed of.

Are You Experiencing Any Of The Following?

• • Cold sensitivity
  • Teeth chipping or wearing irregularly
  • Food getting caught between your teeth
  • Self-consciousness when smiling for photos
  • Biting lips, cheeks and/or tongue
  • Indentations at the gum line
  • Speech changes or lisping
  • Bad breath
  • Dry mouth or mouth breathing
  • Jaw or muscle pain or headaches
  • Receding gums

Early Warning Signs

It’s possible that in some cases you will want to visit our San Diego office prior to your child turning 7. If you or your child has experienced any of the events listed below, it could have a negative effect on orthodontic and/or orthopedic development (tooth and/or bone growth pattern). In all of these cases, we can provide simple, convenient, and comfortable treatments to break the habit and prevent unnecessary orthodontic problems.

Here are a few of the biggest signs that your child may need to see an orthodontist:

• Sucking a thumb or finger past age 4
• Mouth breathing
• Irregular baby tooth loss
• Problems with chewing, biting, or swallowing
• Visibly crowded or misplaced teeth
• Biting into the cheek or roof of the mouth
• Jaws that appear misaligned, shift or make sounds

Also remember, that you should always see Dr. Stormberg anytime you have a question about you or your child’s smile or you think you notice something out of place. Our team is always available to talk with you and address your concerns, so don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll help you determine if the issue warrants an examination appointment.