Children’s Orthodontics
Find Out Why Local Dentists Choose Ocean Blue Orthodontics in Bay Shore, NY for Their Children’s Care
You don’t have to be a dentist to know that the right orthodontist can make a major difference in a child’s smile. But here in the South Shore, plenty of local dentists know to bring their children to Ocean Blue Orthodontics. Why? Because we’ve been known since 1964 for providing comprehensive children’s orthodontic treatments with care and compassion. We’re a family-owned and -operated business spanning three generations, and our goal is to give your family the kind of services that will have you—and the next generation of your family—coming back for any orthodontic needs.
The Importance of Early Orthodontic Evaluation
Our team at Ocean Blue Orthodontics realizes the countless benefits that can come when a child visits an orthodontist in the earlier stages of life. This is why we follow the recommendation of The American Association of Orthodontists, which urges all parents to bring their children to be evaluated by a trained orthodontic specialist at the age of 7.
Keep in mind that early evaluation is not the same thing as early treatment. When your child sees Dr. Mark Weinberg or Dr. Erica Weinberg Gatta, we’ll simply take that opportunity to examine your child’s bite and jaw alignment. This allows us to see if there is any preventive treatment that could reduce the severity or expense of treatment after all the adult teeth have erupted. Most parents who bring their child to Ocean Blue Orthodontics for an early evaluation leave the office again happy to know that orthodontic treatment can wait—or won’t be needed at all.
How Can You Tell if Your Child Needs Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Ultimately, only a trained orthodontic specialist can tell for sure if your child would benefit from early treatment, since many potential problems may not be visibly apparent until prevention is too late. However, we strongly recommend that you bring your child to Ocean Blue Orthodontics for an evaluation if you observe any of the following signs in your child:
- Difficulty chewing and/or biting
- Mouth breathing
- Speech impediments
- Protruding teeth
- Unevenly spaced teeth
- Crowded teeth
- Thumb-sucking or finger-sucking past age three
How Will Your Child Benefit From Early Treatment?
In the cases where Ocean Blue Orthodontics does recommend preventative orthodontics, this early treatment can bring about numerous benefits for a child, including:
- Eliminating the need for adult tooth extractions
- Reducing or eliminating the need for braces later
- Reducing or eliminating the need for jaw surgery
- Improving overall facial development
Even when early orthodontic prevention is not necessary or recommended, early evaluation still allows Ocean Blue Orthodontics to monitor a child’s growth patterns and focus on the ideal time to employ braces or orthodontics after all their teeth have erupted.
Braces for Children
If your child needs braces, know that Ocean Blue Orthodontics isn’t stuck in the past. We offer only the latest options in orthodontic treatment, using self-ligating Damon braces for kids and teens in addition to traditionally effective options with elastic or metal “ties.”
