Accepting New Patients
Accepting New Patients
Your child’s dentist just mentioned their bite looks a little off, and now you’re wondering: Should I be worried? For most families, that moment is the first time orthodontics even enters the picture, and it’s usually earlier than they expected. The good news is that catching these things early is exactly the point, and it doesn’t have to be a big deal.
At Silicon Beach Pediatric Dental, Dr. Ray Klein and Dr. Hayley Botwin take a close look at how your child’s teeth and jaw are developing at every visit. It’s part of every exam. If something looks like it needs monitoring or could involve a conversation with an orthodontist down the road, they’ll let you know and walk you through what that means for your child.
An orthodontic evaluation at your child’s pediatric dental visits isn’t a big production. It’s part of the regular exam, not a separate appointment. We look at how the teeth are coming in, how they fit together, and track if the jaw is developing in a way that makes sense for your child’s age.
There are a few things that flag a closer look during these checkups. Some are more obvious than others.
We note how your child bites down, whether their upper and lower teeth line up the way they should, and if there’s noticeable crowding or spacing in the teeth already present. Once your child is old enough for X-rays, we can see the size of the developing permanent teeth under the baby teeth, and get some idea of what’s coming down the road. Habits like thumb sucking or prolonged pacifier use can also affect how things develop over time, which is why we ask about those things, not to judge, but because it helps us give advice relevant to your child and your family.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic checkup by age 7, when the mix of baby and permanent teeth gives a clear picture of how development is progressing. We start tracking that much earlier, so by the time your child reaches that milestone, we already have a good sense of how things are going.
Most kids are fine. That’s worth saying out loud. The majority of children who come in for a pediatric dental visit don’t walk out with a referral to an orthodontist. But some patterns are worth keeping an eye on, and it’s better to know early than to find out later when there are fewer options.
Overbites, underbites, and crossbites are things we watch closely. These don’t always require intervention right away, but the timing of their correction can be critical. Sometimes growth takes care of the problem on its own, so we don’t believe in doing something just to do it. If a bite issue is mild and the teeth are developing in a healthy direction, we’ll usually recommend to keep watching and reassess at the next visit.
That said, some jaw patterns do respond better to early treatment, particularly those that involve the width of the upper jaw or how the upper and lower jaws relate to each other – basically crossbites. When we note these in your child’s mouth, we’ll have a real conversation about what we’re seeing, what the options are, and whether any of them make sense right now or later.
Crowding often shows up even before all the permanent teeth come in. If the baby teeth are already packed together, that can tell us what’s coming – even at a pretty young age! We track jaw width and arch development so we have a clear picture of whether the permanent teeth will have enough room, and what, if anything, makes sense to do about it.
One size doesn’t fit all here. Some kids need a referral. Some just need monitoring. Our approach is to give you a read on what we’re seeing and what the options are, and let you decide what to do with that information.
There’s nothing that should make you or your child nervous about this part of their dental visit. It’s part of the same appointment. Dr. Ray or Dr. Hayley will look at the teeth and bite, ask a few questions about any habits, and let you know what they see.
If everything looks on track, that’s the whole conversation. If something is worth watching, we’ll explain it in plain terms. If a referral to an orthodontist makes sense, we’ll tell you that too. At their pediatric dental exams and cleanings, these evaluations are a standard part of how we keep an eye on development from one visit to the next.
We’re not going to push you toward a particular treatment or send you out the door with a referral you didn’t need. If there’s nothing to act on, we’ll say so.
Your pediatric dentist sees your child consistently, usually every six months. That continuity matters when it comes to tracking development over time – it’s really helpful for us to have a picture of how their jaws and teeth are developing. Dr. Ray or Dr. Hayley may spot a gradual shift in how teeth are coming in that a one-time consultation might miss, because they have the full picture across multiple visits.
Catching orthodontic issues early won’t always mean treating them early. It means having options. And knowing that your child’s development is being tracked by someone who actually knows their mouth is a solid starting point.
Dr. Ray Klein is a board-certified pediatric dentist trained at USC and Long Beach Miller Children’s Hospital. Dr. Hayley Botwin is also a graduate of the USC Pediatric Dental program and brings her own background in pediatric dental care to every visit. Their Culver City office is in-network with most PPO plans, making it straightforward to get your child the consistent care they need.
If you’ve been wondering whether your child’s teeth are developing the way they should, the best time to find out is at their next visit. Dr. Ray and Dr. Hayley are happy to walk you through what they’re seeing and what, if anything, makes sense to do about it.
Mon-Fri: 9am – 5pm
