Snodgrass-King’s Dr. David Snodgrass DDS tells parents that pediatric dentistry is relevant to a child’s life well into what they might consider their adulthood. Depending on the child, says Dr. David Snodgrass DDS, he or she may need any number of pediatric orthodontic treatments during the first twenty years of their lives. For the benefit of parents, Dr. David Snodgrass DDS has organized those twenty years of pediatric dental development into a three-phase timeline.

According to Dr. David Snodgrass DDS, Phase One of pediatric dental growth is the early treatment phase, between the time your child’s first tooth erupts and his or her 6th birthday. Certain conditions, like malocclusions, are detectable as early as Phase One, says Dr. David Snodgrass DDS, and can be accordingly treated. During Phase One, a pediatric dentist like Dr. David Snodgrass DDS will be looking for underdeveloped dental arches, dental caries, premature tooth loss and the management of habits like thumb sucking. Dr. David Snodgrass DDS says that early treatment can in fact often reduce or eliminate the need for major dental work later in life.

The professionals at Snodgrass-King Pediatric Dental Associates have invaluable knowledge when it comes to braces. Snodgrass-King cofounder Dr. David Snodgrass DDS is an experienced pediatric dentist who understands the trepidation many young patients have about braces. Adolescence is already a complex time, says Dr. David Snodgrass DDS, filled with emotional and physiological changes. Teenagers can be leery about getting braces, explains Dr. David Snodgrass DDS, for many reasons.

Some kids don’t want to deal with the extra work of keeping braces clean, points out Dr. David Snodgrass DDS, while others don’t want to brave the overtly image-conscious school halls with any device that might get them picked on. Teenagers also worry that braces are painful and inconvenient, adds Dr. David Snodgrass DDS. However, if braces are installed early enough, Dr. David Snodgrass DDS says that they may not have to be worn for as long as kids might expect.