At Squires Orthodontics, we believe early orthodontic visits should be fun, easy, and stress-free. Meeting with a board-certified orthodontist like Dr. Taylor Squires early on sets the stage for a confident, healthy future.
Dr. Squires can evaluate your child’s jaw growth, regulate airway development, and create space for incoming teeth. In our relaxed, kid-friendly office, Dr. Squires provides expert care with a personalized touch to help kids breathe, grow, and smile with confidence.
Early orthodontic treatment is the term for orthodontic care for children who have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth. Also known as interceptive orthodontics, it helps guide proper teeth and jaw growth so your child’s smile develops healthily. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic check-up by age 7 to evaluate crowding, bite alignment, and jaw development.
The benefits of interceptive orthodontics go far beyond simply straightening teeth. These benefits include:
Since children are still growing, early orthodontics is a unique opportunity to guide how the jaws develop. Early treatment can create a better balance between the upper and lower jaws and help reduce the likelihood of more complex (and expensive) problems later.
The width and shape of the upper jaw play a role in the space available for the nasal airway. In some children, orthodontic expansion can contribute to improved airflow and more stable breathing patterns as they grow. Conditions like obstructive sleep apnea can sometimes be improved with early treatment.
The tongue plays an important role in how the jaws develop and how the teeth align. When the upper jaw is too narrow, the tongue may not have enough room to rest in a natural position. Orthodontic treatment can help create the space needed for healthier tongue posture.
When your child’s teeth fit together properly, chewing forces are distributed evenly across the bite. Correcting issues like crossbites, deep bites, and crowding helps the teeth function the way they were designed to and makes chewing and speaking easier.
Crowded, spaced, or overlapping teeth are harder to brush and floss effectively. Straighter teeth make it easier to keep everything clean, helping reduce the risk of cavities and gum problems over time.
A healthy, straighter smile can have a powerful impact on a child’s confidence as they grow up. Orthodontic treatment can help kids feel proud of their smile during some of the most formative years of their lives.
At Squires Orthodontics, we offer personalized early treatment options to guide your child’s smile. With a focus on proactive care and patient comfort, our compassionate team ensures your child receives gentle, expert care in a fun and welcoming environment.
Clear Aligners for Kids
For families seeking an alternative to traditional braces, clear aligners offer a comfortable, removable way to guide teeth into alignment. Made from strong, nearly invisible plastic, they let kids eat, brush, and play without restrictions. At Squires Orthodontics, we customize aligners to fit growing smiles, providing a discreet and gentle early treatment option.
Braces for Kids
Braces help growing smiles shine by guiding teeth into their proper places and supporting healthy development. They remain a highly effective treatment method for all types of smiles. With both metal and clear options, we’ll create a treatment plan that fits your child’s needs. We make the experience fun and positive, so that kids feel confident every step of the way!
Palatal Expanders
Palatal expanders help develop the upper arch, create space for incoming teeth, and support healthy airway growth. By encouraging proper tongue space and balanced development, expanders can improve breathing, bite alignment, and overall oral health, setting the stage for a confident, beautiful smile! We design custom 3D-printed expanders to ensure a smooth, comfortable experience.
Braces for Kids
Braces help growing smiles shine by guiding teeth into their proper places and supporting healthy development. They remain a highly effective treatment method for all types of smiles. With both metal and clear options, we’ll create a treatment plan that fits your child’s needs. We make the experience fun and positive, so that kids feel confident every step of the way!
Clear Aligners for Kids
For families seeking an alternative to traditional braces, clear aligners offer a comfortable, removable way to guide teeth into alignment. Made from strong, nearly invisible plastic, they let kids eat, brush, and play without restrictions. At Squires Orthodontics, we customize aligners to fit growing smiles, providing a discreet and gentle early treatment option.
Palatal Expanders
Palatal expanders help develop the upper arch, create space for incoming teeth, and support healthy airway growth. By encouraging proper tongue space and balanced development, expanders can improve breathing, bite alignment, and overall oral health, setting the stage for a confident, beautiful smile! We design custom 3D-printed expanders to ensure a smooth, comfortable experience.
Many kids have healthy, growing smiles and don’t need treatment right away. Our Growth Guidance Program is designed for kids who are not ready for orthodontic treatment but are still growing and developing. Instead of waiting until problems become more complex, we monitor important stages of dental and jaw development so treatment can begin at the ideal time if needed.
These visits also help children get comfortable with an orthodontic office and our team. Many kids feel nervous about orthodontics at first, so coming in periodically for quick growth checks helps build familiarity and confidence long before treatment starts.
During our Growth Guidance Program, we track key milestones in craniofacial growth, tooth eruption, bite development, and airway-related growth patterns, allowing us to guide healthy development and intervene early when appropriate.
Plus, your child will love meeting Riff, a fun character that helps create a positive and engaging experience at the orthodontist’s office. Riff helps kids feel excited to come back to Squires Orthodontics!
Wondering if early orthodontic care is right for your child? Squires Orthodontics makes the process easy, fun, and tailored to your family’s needs. As a board-certified orthodontist, Dr. Squires combines a high level of expertise with the latest digital technology to provide the best care in a welcoming, kid-friendly environment. Schedule an in-office or virtual consultation today to ensure your child’s smile, bite, and airway are developing on the right track.
Around age 7, your child likely has a mix of baby and adult teeth, which gives us a unique opportunity to identify subtle concerns with jaw growth or tooth eruption. At this stage, we can guide development in a way that may reduce the need for more complex treatment later.
In some cases, yes, but that’s completely normal. Early treatment focuses on guiding growth and creating space, not necessarily finishing alignment. Think of it as setting the foundation for a smoother, more efficient second phase of treatment during the teen years.
Some common signs of orthodontic issues include difficulty biting or chewing, mouth breathing, early or late loss of baby teeth, crowded or misplaced teeth, or jaws that seem to shift or make noise. An orthodontic consultation with an expert can help provide peace of mind.
Most children adjust very quickly to braces, clear aligners, or palatal expanders. We use modern, comfortable techniques and digital technology to make the experience as easy as possible. Our goal is to create a positive, stress-free environment so you and your child feel confident every step of the way.
Early treatment allows us to work with your child’s natural growth patterns. By gently guiding jaw development, often through expansion techniques, we can help create proper space for incoming teeth and support balanced facial development.
