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What if My Dentist Hasn’t Sent My Child to an Orthodontist?

Beautiful, Confident Smiles™

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What if My Dentist Hasn’t Sent My Child to an Orthodontist?
VanLaecken Orthodontics
October 5, 2021

You don’t have to wait for your dentist to refer your child to an orthodontist.

Parents are often the first to recognize that something is not quite right about their child’s teeth or their jaws. A parent may notice that the front teeth don’t come together when the back teeth are closed, or that the upper teeth are sitting inside of the lower teeth. They may assume that their dentist is aware of the anomaly, and that the dentist will make a referral to an orthodontist when the time is right. A referral might not happen if the dentist isn’t evaluating the bite.

AAO orthodontists, like VanLaecken Orthodontics, doesn’t require a referral from a dentist to make an appointment with them.

What parents should look for:

Signs that the bite’s not right:

  • Early or late loss of baby teeth
  • Difficulty in chewing or biting
  • Mouth breathing
  • Jaws that shift or make sounds
  • Speech difficulties
  • Biting the cheek or the roof of the mouth
  • Facial imbalance
  • Grinding or clenching of teeth

Dentists and orthodontists may have different perspectives.

Dentists are looking at the overall health of the teeth and mouth. He/she could be looking at how well the patient brushes and flosses, or if there are cavities. While dentists look at the upper and lower teeth, they may not study how the upper and lower teeth make contact.

Orthodontists are looking at the bite, meaning the way teeth come together. This is orthodontists’ specialty. Orthodontists take the upper and lower jaws into account. Even if teeth appear to be straight, mismatched jaws can be part of a bad bite.

A healthy bite is the goal of orthodontic treatment.

A healthy bite denotes good function – biting, chewing and speaking. It also means teeth and jaws are in proportion to the rest of the face.

VanLaecken Orthodontics recommends children get their first check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7.

Kids have a mix of baby and permanent teeth around age 7. Our AAO orthodontists in Watertown, Brookings, Milbank and Aberdeen are uniquely trained to evaluate children’s growth as well as the exchange of baby teeth for permanent teeth. They are expertly qualified to determine whether a problem exists, or if one is developing.

We often offer initial exams at no cost, and at no obligation!

AAO Orthodontists at VanLaecken Orthodontics.

When you choose an AAO orthodontist for orthodontic treatment, you can be assured that you have selected a highly skilled specialist at VanLaecken Orthodontics. Our orthodontic specialists properly align teeth and jaws, and possesses the skills and experience to give you your best smile.


Source: “What if my dentist hasn’t sent my child to the orthodontist?,” American Association of Orthodontists

Let’s get started!

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We promise to provide the highest quality orthodontic treatment in a loving, caring atmosphere located for your convenience in Aberdeen, Brookings, Milbank, Sioux Falls, and Watertown, South Dakota. Get started by requesting a free consult today!

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Our 5-Star Experience

patient TESTIMONIALS

Liesl H.
I have had the opportunity to bring all 3 of our children to VanLaecken Orthodontics over the years and they have been so great to work with! They are patient, kind and willing to work with you and help in whatever way they can!!
Codi S.
If you need Orthodontic care...this is the place to be! The staff are always so sweet, kind and caring! ALL of them are absolutely amazing! Dr. Nate is very experienced and does a fabulous job explaining how the process works, what the next step is and the best treatment plan to fit your specific needs. I can't say enough about how awesome my experience has been!
Kay-Lee W
I cant say enough great things about VanLaechen Ortgodontics! Great service and a wonderful atmosphere. Everyone is so kind, compassionate, professional, They are absolutely amazing at VanLaecken Orthodontics! My smile is absolutely beautiful!! I highly highly recommend them!! I am very very pleased.
Riley R.
The workers are very friendly and my teeth look great! Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!
Valeria Alexandra Medina M.
I loved how they treated me and made me feel special. They were never mean, and always made sure you were okay.
Sara J.
The team at VanLaecken is outstanding! Professional, easy to work with, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!
Sara B.
Excellent customer service, very detailed services specific to each patient, for faster correction time. Would highly recommend.
Michelle B.
The assistants were very kind and the doctor easily explained what will happen during the process of braces. Excited to see what the end results will look like!
Melissa D.
I can’t say enough great things about VanLaecken Orthodontics and their amazing team. My smile started as an 11 out of 10 on the "hard to correct" scale, but they tackled it with such expertise, care, and dedication that I’m still in awe of the results.

From day one, they made me feel confident and comfortable with the process. The entire crew goes above and beyond—not just in their orthodontic skills but also in creating a supportive, welcoming environment. They patiently answered all my questions, worked around my schedule, and cheered me on every step of the way.
Kristen O.
Very professional, organized, helpful, and informed. I never feel like my time is wasted.
Kaley S.
Love this place!! Everyone is super welcoming and I enjoy coming here. Definitely recommend getting your teeth work done here!!
Stella B.
I got invisilign with vanlaecken, and I really enjoy my teeth. My teeth were over corrected a few times which had to be fixed. But other than that great people and I loved my service
Stella B.
I got invisilign here and I do love how my teeth look, although my teeth were overcorrected a few times and had to be readjusted, which took extra time and got a bit annoying. But overall the app was pretty helpful and the people were friendly.
Kat R.
amazing staff, especially Anne and Dawn!! Great service as well, thanks for all that you guys do!!!!
Jeffery H.
Friendliest staff and best orthodontists in the world, therefore, the universe. :). If you need your teeth straightened this is the place to be.
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Come Visit Us

our convenient locations
ABERDEEN
  • 631 S Roosevelt St.
    Aberdeen, SD 57401
Phone
  • (605) 226-3120
BROOKINGS
  • 410 Mayfield Dr. Suite #1
    Brookings, SD 57006
Phone
  • (605) 692-7063
MILBANK
  • 102 W 4th Ave. Suite 2
    Milbank, SD 57252
Phone
  • (605) 432-5011
SIOUX FALLS
  • 1518 E 69th St.
    Sioux Falls, SD 57108
Phone
  • (605) 789-7000
WATERTOWN
  • 600 4th St. NE Suite 103
    Watertown, SD 57201
Phone
  • (605) 882-1500

ABERDEEN


ABERDEEN

BROOKINGS

BROOKINGS

SIOUX FALLS

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WATERTOWN
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