What Age is Right?

What Is the Right Age for My Child to See an Orthodontist?

When Should a Child First See an Orthodontist?

Orthodontics can play a huge role in young children's appearance and health. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that an orthodontist examine children by the time they are seven years old. Yes. While baby teeth are still in their mouths. And yes, while their teeth and mouths are still developing. Your child’s Dental Associates pediatric dentist is trained to identify bite issues at an early age and will refer a child to one of our orthodontists at the appropriate point in time.

To create a smile that lasts a lifetime, your child needs teeth that are straight and jaws that are aligned properly. That all begins with the baby teeth; the way they are aligned, when and how they fall out, and how much room they are allowing or not allowing for the emergence of permanent adult teeth. That’s why it’s a good idea to have an orthodontist exam your child while they still have their baby teeth.

While your child’s teeth may look straight, there may be underlying problems with the way adult teeth may be coming in, with deep bites, open bites, and cross bites, with the relationship of the upper and lower jaw, with tooth crowding, or problems that may be occurring due to thumbsucking or other habits. Orthodontists can pinpoint these problems, even if they are subtle, and can start correcting any problems to avoid potential problems for future adult teeth. By age seven, enough permanent teeth have emerged for your orthodontist to evaluate relationships developing between teeth, jaw and bite and make sure all will continue to develop as they should.

Your child may or may not need orthodontic work. That will be determined by the examination. But no matter what, you will get the peace of mind that early detection and treatment will result in a lifelong smile for your child.

Orthodontic Exam by Age 7

The transition from primary teeth (baby teeth) to permanent teeth is extremely important. Where primary teeth are located is important. When primary teeth fall out is important. Primary teeth set the foundation for permanent teeth and their proper positions. That’s why it’s important to have a Dental Associates orthodontist examine your child’s mouth while they still have primary teeth (baby teeth). Your child’s teeth may look straight, but there may be underlying bite problems.

Some of your child’s behaviors may give some indication that an orthodontic examination is in order, too. Discuss your concerns with your pediatric dentist who will refer you to one of their orthodontic partners, if your child:

  • Loses baby teeth early or late
  • Has difficulty chewing or biting
  • Breaths through their mouth
  • Sucks their thumb
  • Has crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
  • Has a jaw that shifts or makes sounds
  • Has difficulty speaking
  • Bites their cheek or the roof of their mouth
  • Has teeth that meet abnormally, or don’t meet at all
  • Has a facial imbalance
  • Grinds or clenches their teeth
  • Have jaws that appear too far forward or too far back

Call us today at (972) 934-6222 to schedule your appointment and discuss your treatment options with Dr. Bietsch.

Patient Experiences

Opinions We Cherish Most
  • “I chose to see Dr. Bietsch from a referral from a friend. I am so happy that I did. The entire consult was all about my son and never about the doctor. I was so impressed that I chose to see him myself for some orthodontic work.”

    - Amy
  • “We love Dr. Bietsch's office. It's very easy to find a qualified orthodontist, but more difficult to find the combination of highly qualified, and caring. I feel like going above and beyond, is just normal for Dr. Bietsch and his staff.”

    - Kelly
  • “I was walked through each x-ray, necessary procedure and plan to align a jaw, straighten teeth, and make sure both my children and I were going to be happy with the results. Very impressed.”

    - Aimee

Our Smile Specialists

Experienced & Caring
  • Dr. Tom  Bietsch Photo
    Dr. Tom Bietsch

    Orthodontist

    Having practiced orthodontics for more than 19 years, I am excited to offer Prosper residents a place where they can attain their best smile in a compassionate and fun environment. Originally from Chicago, I knew as a teen that I wanted to be an orthodontist. My neighbor was an orthodontist and he gave me the confidence and reassurance by volunteering in his office that being an orthodontist was my calling. I love watching patients' confidence and self esteem grow as their smile is enhanced and ...
  • Bianca   Photo
    Bianca

    Treatment Coordinator

    Bianca was born and raised in Alaska where she developed her love for animals and the outdoors. She loves any reality show about Alaska, all types of music, bike riding with her husband and 3 boys and attending outdoor concerts. Her favorite foods are cheese pretzels, McDonalds Hot Fudge Sundae's and, due to her Italian heritage, she has a special love for spumoni ice cream! Bianca has been in the Medical/Dental field for over 11 years. As treatment coordinator she loves helping Dr. Bietsch ...
  • Kirsten   Photo
    Kirsten

    Financial Coordinator

    Kirsten has been in the dental field for over 5 years now. She loves solving puzzles and working with numbers to create solutions for our patients. This includes everyone's favorite, Insurance! If there is a way to get an insurance company to pay benefits, Kirsten will find it! She also has an amazing talent of remembering everyone's name and fun random facts about our patients and their families. Kirsten is a native Texan from the beaches of South Texas. She is married and has a funny 9 year ...
  • Jessica   Photo
    Jessica
    You can find Jessica and her husband every weekend on the baseball fields cheering on their 2 boys. Four wheeling and camping are just a few activities that Jessica enjoys. Jessica enjoy shopping, hibachi food, country and Christian music. Jessica is a veteran to orthodontics with 16 years as a dental technician and brings a caring and experienced hand to Bietsch Orthodontics.
  • Lilee   Photo
    Lilee
    Bio Coming Soon!
  • Monica   Photo
    Monica
    Monica's favorite thing about her home state of Texas is the people and delicious food you find everywhere. Family is everything to Monica and you can find her enjoying skydiving, camping, fishing or trying exotic foods such as shark when she is not working. Monica has been working in the dental field for 6 years and absolutely loves her position as a scheduling coordinator here at Bietsch Orthodontics.
  • Willow   Photo
    Willow
    Willow has a special love for the outdoors and the freedom of being in nature. She loves camping, hiking, fishing, riding atv's and enjoying all this with her sweet son Blake. Willow has been in the dental field for over 4 years and is our financial coordinator here at Bietsch Orthodontics. Willow enjoys music and poetry. Her favorite poem is called "If i were the sun"
  • Zeke   Photo
    Zeke
    Zeke comes to Bietsch Orthodontics with over 17 years in the dental field. Zeke served in the US Army as a Dental Technician who specialized in orthognathic surgery. Happily married to his wife Michelle, they just welcomed their 1st child "Ariella" who is the sweetest little girl. When Zeke is not with his family you can find his cooking, grilling, or hiking.
  • ESPiN   Photo
    ESPiN

    Mascot

    Meet our mascot, ESPiN! You may see ESPiN at local sporting or community events meeting and greeting people. Snap a selfie with ESPiN and give our mascot a high five! Hugs are welcome, too. BIETSCH Orthodontics wouldn't be the same without our smiling, spirited friend. ESPiN loves to see patients of all ages with brilliant new smiles and is available in the office for patients when they may need a little encouragement during their treatment.
/

Confident Smiles
Start Here

Call us at (972) 934-6222 to start your journey to bright and healthy future.Confident Smiles Start Here

  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.

Bietsch Orthodontics

Why We're The Right Choice For You
  • Convenient & Efficient
  • Top Quality & Caring Service
  • Braces Mobile Bus
  • Highly Experienced
  • Invisible Treatments Available
  • Cutting Edge Technology