Prepare Your Child for a Beautiful Smile
Dr. Joe Moon and the American Association of Orthodontists recommend that parents in Overland Park and Olathe take their children to see an orthodontist by age seven.
Dr. Moon is a father himself, and he cares for your children just like family. Early treatment, when necessary, is all about setting your loved ones up for a lifetime of happy, healthy smiles.
Why Early Treatment?
Dr. Moon recommends taking a preventative approach to ensure your child’s orthodontic health. So while your seven-year-old may still have most of their baby teeth, it’s a good time to begin monitoring your child’s smile as they grow.
This way, Dr. Moon can catch problems before they become more serious and develop an early treatment intervention plan to prevent major issues—and even the need for surgery—in their teen years and adulthood.
He’ll do this by:
- Guiding jaw growth
- Correcting harmful oral habits
- Lowering the risk of trauma to protruding front teeth
- Directing permanent teeth into a more favorable position
- Improving appearance and creating a more confident smile
How Early Treatment Works at Moon Orthodontics
While we try to avoid two-phase treatment, if Dr. Moon notices any red flags while monitoring your child, he may recommend early intervention (or Phase I orthodontics) while their jaw is still growing.
What this means is that Dr. Moon will use Phase I braces, Invsialign First, or another appliance to:
- Keep your child’s development on track
- Avoid surgery and extractions
- Ensure easier, faster treatment when they reach adolescence, teen years, or even adulthood
Early Orthodontic Care for Growing Smiles
Phase I braces, sometimes called limited or partial braces, help guide jaw growth and create the space needed for incoming permanent teeth. By starting treatment early, Dr. Moon can correct bite issues and reduce the need for more complex treatment later on.
These braces typically focus on a few upper or lower teeth and work hand-in-hand with natural growth patterns. This early guidance ensures a smoother, more efficient transition into future orthodontic phases.
Clear Aligners Designed Just for Kids
Invisalign® First aligners offer children a clear, comfortable way to correct alignment and spacing issues while their smiles are still developing. Designed specifically for younger patients, these aligners gently guide teeth into position without the need for brackets or wires.
Parents love Invisalign First because it allows for easy brushing, flossing, and eating. Kids love it because it’s discreet, comfortable, and removable for sports, meals, and photos. It’s a great introduction to orthodontic care and confidence-building all in one.
Creating Space for a Healthier Smile
Palatal expanders gently widen the upper jaw, making more room for permanent teeth to emerge properly. This treatment can help correct crossbites, crowding, and breathing concerns by encouraging balanced facial and dental growth.
Dr. Moon uses custom-designed expanders that fit comfortably and work gradually, ensuring your child’s bite and airway develop in harmony. It’s a simple yet powerful step toward a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Guiding Jaw Growth & Bite Alignment
Functional appliances, like the Herbst appliance, are used to guide jaw growth and correct bite discrepancies, especially when the lower jaw sits too far back. By encouraging proper jaw development, these appliances help balance facial structure and improve long-term function.
Treatment is typically most effective during growth phases, when the jaws are still developing. Dr. Moon customizes each appliance to fit comfortably and deliver reliable results—helping growing patients achieve a naturally aligned smile.
Breaking Bad Habits Early
Dr. Moon helps children overcome habits that can affect healthy dental and facial development, such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and mouth breathing. Left unchecked, these behaviors can impact jaw shape, bite alignment, and even speech patterns.
Habit appliances are gentle, custom-made devices that encourage proper function while helping kids move away from harmful habits. They’re discreet, comfortable, and designed to work hand-in-hand with positive reinforcement.
By addressing these habits early, Dr. Moon helps ensure your child’s smile grows strong and stable—setting the stage for confident, lifelong oral health.
How to Know If Your Child Needs Early Intervention
You can’t always easily tell if your child needs early intervention. Even straight teeth may hide a problematic bite.
If your child shows any of the following, you may need to schedule a consultation to determine if they need orthodontic attention:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Breathing through the mouth
- Thumb-sucking
- Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
- Jaws that are too far forward or back
- Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
- Protruding teeth
- Upper and lower teeth that don't meet, or meet in an abnormal way
- An unbalanced facial appearance
- Grinding or clenching of the teeth
Learn More at Your Free Consultation
Even if your child isn’t exhibiting orthodontic issues, Dr. Moon still recommends setting up a free consultation at our offices in Olathe or Overland Park to monitor your child’s smile and set them up for orthodontic success down the road.
Our team would be happy to talk more about early treatment and develop a plan for your child’s unique needs.