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The Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment for Children in Baton Rouge

more than smiles

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As parents, we all want the best for our children, especially when it comes to their health and well-being. One crucial aspect of their overall health is their oral health, which can have a significant impact on their self-esteem, comfort, and long-term dental health. At Sherman & Balhoff Orthodontics, we believe that early orthodontic treatment can set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles. Here’s why early intervention is so important and the benefits of starting orthodontic treatment at a young age.

Why Early Orthodontic Treatment?

Early orthodontic treatment, also known as interceptive orthodontics, typically begins around the age of 7 when your child’s mouth is still growing and developing. At this age, we can identify and address potential orthodontic issues before they become more severe.

Key Reasons for Early Orthodontic Evaluation:

  • Timely Detection: The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. This allows us to detect any subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present.
  • Guiding Growth: Early treatment can guide the growth of the jaw and incoming permanent teeth, helping to prevent more serious problems down the road.
  • Creating Space: Early intervention can create space for crowded teeth, reducing the need for tooth extraction or more extensive treatment later.
  • Improved Outcomes: Addressing issues early often leads to better treatment outcomes and can shorten the overall time needed for orthodontic care.

Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment

Early orthodontic treatment offers numerous advantages that can positively impact your child’s oral health and overall well-being. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Correcting Bite Issues

A proper bite is essential for chewing, speaking, and maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Early treatment can correct bite issues such as overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites. By addressing these problems early, we can help your child avoid difficulties with eating, speaking, and even breathing.

2. Preventing Crowding and Misalignment

Crowded or misaligned teeth can be challenging to clean, increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease. Early orthodontic treatment can create the necessary space for permanent teeth to emerge correctly, reducing the likelihood of crowding and improving oral hygiene.

3. Enhancing Facial Symmetry

Orthodontic issues can affect the overall appearance of your child’s face. Early intervention can guide jaw growth and enhance facial symmetry, contributing to a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing facial profile.

4. Boosting Self-Esteem

A confident smile can significantly impact your child’s self-esteem and social interactions. Early orthodontic treatment can improve the appearance of their smile, helping them feel more confident and less self-conscious about their teeth.

5. Reducing Trauma Risk

Protruding front teeth are more susceptible to injury, especially during childhood activities and sports. Early treatment can reposition these teeth, reducing the risk of trauma and protecting your child’s dental health.

6. Simplifying Future Treatment

By addressing orthodontic issues early, we can often simplify future treatment needs. In some cases, early intervention can reduce the need for more invasive procedures, shorten the overall treatment time, and improve the effectiveness of later orthodontic care.

Our Approach to Early Orthodontic Treatment

At Sherman & Balhoff Orthodontics, we take a personalized approach to early orthodontic treatment. During your child’s initial consultation, our experienced orthodontists will conduct a comprehensive evaluation, including digital X-rays and 3D imaging, to assess their dental and jaw development.

Based on our findings, we will recommend a customized treatment plan tailored to your child’s specific needs. Treatment options may include:

  • Palatal Expanders: Used to widen the upper jaw and create space for permanent teeth.
  • Space Maintainers: Help preserve the space for permanent teeth when a baby tooth is lost prematurely.
  • Partial Braces: Applied to address specific alignment issues in the early stages.
  • Habit Appliances: Designed to correct harmful habits such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.

Early orthodontic treatment can provide your child with numerous benefits, from improved dental health and facial symmetry to enhanced self-esteem and simplified future treatments. At Sherman & Balhoff Orthodontics, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality care and ensuring that your child’s orthodontic journey is a positive and rewarding experience.

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patient testimonials

Every Smile Tells a Story

We love it when our patients smile, and we love it even more when want they want to tell the world! Check out what our patients have to say about their 5-star experience with us.
Cassandra C.
I transferred my care to this location after moving and I’m impressed ! They’re very kind and professional. The office is so cute. I definitely recommend !
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Cassandra! We're thrilled to hear you feel welcomed and impressed by our team. Your recommendation means a lot to us. We look forward to seeing you again!
Alicia C.
My daughter just got braces at Sherman and Balhoff Prairieville's office. We are very pleased with the way the entire process. The staff are excellent! Very friendly, caring, and professional. They took great care of us by explaining every part of the process, and that put all our concerns to rest. I will always highly recommend Sherman and Balhoff. They're the best!!!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that you and your daughter had a positive experience with our team. Your recommendations mean a lot to us. We look forward to seeing you again!
Rebecca
Five of our children have received treatment from Dr. Balhoff. We wouldn’t go anywhere else. The entire staff at Sherman and Balhoff Orthodontics has been wonderful.
Response from the owner:Thank you for trusting us with your family! We love having all of you here.
Gannon B.
It was easy to make an appointment and I was seen quickly by their professional and knowledgeable staff.
I had a great experience and would highly recommend them to any family or friends.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your review Gannon!! Patients like you make our day brighter!
Jenn G.
Really great, honest people who are fantastic at what they do. The whole staff is so kind, personable and friendly.
Response from the owner:Thank you Jenn. We love what we do and people like you make our day even better!
MDU U.
From the very first time you walk though the door, it is a wonderful experience. The staff are all friendly, kind and knowledgeable. We have a wonderful experience every time and cannot recommend this practice highly enough.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind review. Having wonderful people like you in our office makes our days spectacular!
Jimbo T.
My daughter loved going to Sherman & Balhhoff. The office staff / Ashley Mannino were Awesome!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful review, Jimbo! We're thrilled to hear that your daughter enjoyed her visits and that our staff, especially Ashley, made a positive impression. Your support means a lot to us!
Sunset C.
Everything went very smooth. The atmosphere is very relaxing and welcoming! I just them 100% with daughter!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a smooth experience and found our atmosphere relaxing. It's great to know you and your daughter felt welcome. We look forward to seeing you both again!
Chadwick C.
We have had the best experience. Their team has made my daughter very comfortable which is so important to us.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Chadwick! We're thrilled to hear that your daughter felt comfortable with our team. Providing a positive experience for our patients is our top priority. We appreciate your support!
Gabriella R.
I went in for Invisalign and the process was great. We started to notice one tooth wasn’t shifting as well so they ended up trying to refit the Invisalign. When that didn’t work they offered braces to help correct what wasn’t working even though it wasn’t their fault. Start to finish was awesome. If you’re debating between orthodontics- Sherman and balhoff is the place to go because they are on your team and will do what it takes to get the results you want !!!
Although I am not a patient there anymore due to moving states, I still think about this process often and how their entire time really put the patient first even when it probably wasn’t as profitable for them.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful review, Gabriella! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience with us and that you felt supported throughout the process. Your kind words about our commitment to patients mean a lot to our team. We wish you all the best in your new state, and thank you for recommending us!
Davia W.
The absolute best! We were recommended by my children’s dentist and the office was directly next door (Prairieville location). The entire office staff is amazing and very personable which had me sold from the consultation. My son started treatment in Aug 2024 and so did I Dec 2024. The reviews definitely match the experience and I’d recommend over and over again!!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Davia! We're thrilled to hear that you and your son have had such positive experiences with us. Our team strives to provide exceptional service, and your recommendation means the world to us. We look forward to continuing to support you both throughout your treatment!
Carly D.
After having my braces off for only 7 months from a previous orthodontist, I switched to S&B after not being happy with my results and incomplete treatment. One of the best decisions I've made. Great with time management, quick and easy appointments, friendly staff. Definitely recommend.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your positive experience, Carly! We're thrilled to hear that switching to Sherman & Balhoff Orthodontics has made such a difference for you. Our team is dedicated to providing efficient and friendly service, and your recommendation means a lot to us. We look forward to continuing to support your orthodontic journey!
Scott D.
I recently completed my second go-round with braces (my first was many years ago as a teenager), as a 60 year old patient of S&B.
I want to express my most sincere appreciation for the results I see when I look in the mirror...the results have exceeded my expectations.
Additionally, I was very impressed with the way I was treated (as a patient) each and every time I had an appointment.
Yet, I believe one of the most impactful (and unexpected) memories of this journey was the way I felt each time I left the building (at the end of each appointment.) With no exception, each time I was there, I felt a genuine teamwork atmosphere. To the person, they not only expressed care for me (the patient) but they expressed care for each other (the employee.)
Thank you, S&B, for not only leaving me with a visual example of success but, moreover, an emotional example of success.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words about us and our staff. We work diligently day in and day out to provide the best patient experience possible, so it’s wonderful to hear when we meet our goals!
Allison K.
They are amazing with everyone. My daughter just had braces put on in May and they have been wonderful with questions, etc.
Response from the owner:Allison thank you for your kind words about us and our staff. We work diligently day in and day out to provide the best patient experience possible, so it’s wonderful to hear when we meet our goals!
Dana G.
I used Sherman and Balhoff myself as an adult and now my daughter is a patient there. They are the best and go above and beyond for their patients. Dr. Sherman even came back after closing because my daughter was having an issue with her bite after getting her braces put on. He was so very nice and professional. I would recommend them to anyone.
Response from the owner:Dana thank you for your kind words! Your vote of confidence in our practice is why we do what we do!

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You don’t need an excuse to smile more, but we would like to give you a few extra reasons! We have four locations for your convenience, and each of them have friendly doctors and teams ready to serve you. We can’t wait to meet you!

Prairieville

Central

Baton Rouge

Addis

Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge

Addis

Addis

Prairieville

Prairieville

Central

Central
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Locations

  • BATON ROUGE8311 Bluebonnet Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70810
  • ADDIS6715 LA Highway 1 S.Addis, LA 70710
  • PRAIRIEVILLE14154 LA Hwy. 73Prairieville, LA 70769
  • CENTRAL14465 Wax Rd.Central, LA 70818

Phone

  • (225) 769-1276

Office Hours

Monday 7:30am – 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:10am – 4:30pm
Wednesday 7:10am – 4:00pm
Thursday 7:30am – 3:30pm
Friday 8:00am – 12:00pm (Admin Only)
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