Pediatric Orthodontics

There's a common misconception today that early intervention orthodontics or treating a patient when they're six, seven, eight years old is more aggressive than waiting until they're in middle school or maybe early high school like we were treated when we were younger. And I wanna clear up a few things about that because for certain patients, it can actually become more aggressive to wait until all of their permanent teeth are in their mouth to treat them. I know that I had a patient when I was doing cosmetic dentistry in my last practice, and they said, I really like to take all of my kids to this specific orthodontist because he will wait until they're older and won't do an extra round of treatment when they're younger. And I think a lot of people think it's extra treatment and that doing two phases of treatment when they're young and then when they're twelve versus just treating them when they're twelve years old gets you to the same result. And in a lot of cases, that's not true at all. When we wait to treat a a patient when they're twelve years old, if growth hasn't been going in the right direction, maybe the top jaw is too far forward or the bottom jaw is too far back or the bottom jaw has an underbite and is too far forward. Any of those situations, if we wait until they're twelve years old, we have limited options to treat them in a conservative manner. A lot of those patients end up being surgical adult patients. And if we can get that patient into a better growth situation to avoid surgery in the future, early intervention at six, seven, eight years old can actually modify how things are developing. Another common situation is that when we wait until all of the adult teeth are in in a patient that has a lot of crowding and not a lot of space in their mouth, if we don't see them until they're twelve years old, many times we have to extract permanent teeth, otherwise healthy teeth, in order to get the teeth to fit together. If we see that same patient when they're younger, we're able to advance the to to help modify the growth of the bone and make more room in their mouth so that by the time they're twelve and all the adult teeth are coming in, there's space for all of the adult teeth. So it's kind of apples and oranges to compare doing early treatment and then followed up after that early treatment with a second round of treatment to patients that just get one round of treatment. Not everybody needs early intervention, but it benefits you greatly to see an orthodontist by six or seven years old so that you can determine if things are growing correctly and you can just be monitored until maybe you are twelve and that's the appropriate time to intervene. Or if you see an orthodontist at six or seven, things aren't growing as well as they could be, you can do some simple modifications to growth that will set them up for a better situation when they are twelve years old, more room in the mouth, jaws that that are compatible with one another. And you can actually end up with a more conservative second round of treatment. Often, I'll see my patients that have an early intervention or phase one treatment when they're seven or eight. Once they get to the point where all of their adult teeth are in their mouth and it's time to do the full set of braces or time to do the full set of aligners, they need very minimal treatment at that point. Maybe without that first phase, it would have been two years of treatment. Maybe now it's a year or a year and a half. So it's really not it's not a one size fits all to say that all patients should be treated at seven years old or all patients should be treated at twelve years old. But for the patients that could use some growth modification, being caught early allows them a healthier, more conservative, more ideal outcome when you can modify things at that earlier reach.

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Children's orthodontics in Providence and Wakefield

At Anchor Orthodontics, children's orthodontic care is at the heart of what we do. With offices in Providence and Wakefield, we make it easy for families across Rhode Island, from the East Side to South County, to access expert, early-focused care for their kids.

Dr. Lavigne and Dr. Cardarelli specialize in guiding healthy jaw growth, creating space for incoming teeth, and preventing more serious orthodontic issues before they develop. By identifying concerns early and monitoring development, we help Rhode Island children grow into strong, healthy, confident smiles.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation by age seven. That doesn't mean every child needs treatment. It simply means any developing issues are identified early, while growth can still be guided in the right direction.

Common reasons for early evaluations include:

• Crowded or spaced teeth

• Early or late loss of baby teeth

• Underbites, overbites, or crossbites

• Narrow upper jaws

• Mouth breathing or airway concerns

• Habits such as thumb sucking

Starting early can help:

• Guide jaw growth and facial development

• Create space for adult teeth to erupt correctly

• Reduce the need for future extractions

• Shorten total treatment time

• Improve breathing and oral function

• Prevent more invasive procedures later on

Not every child needs early treatment, but the ones who do benefit greatly from timely care.

Dr. Lavigne uses growth-friendly, evidence-based approaches that make treatment simple and effective. Depending on your child's needs, care may involve:

• Palate expanders (pain-free with our 3D-printed technology)

• Space maintainers

• Growth guidance appliances

• Bite correction

• Habit intervention

• Short phases of braces or aligners in certain cases

Every treatment plan is individualized. We only recommend early treatment when it truly provides long-term benefits.

Dr. Lavigne is known throughout Rhode Island and New England for her thoughtful, patient-centered approach to pediatric orthodontics. With extensive training in early intervention and airway evaluation, she looks at the full picture of your child's growth and development, not just the teeth.

Our Providence office on the East Side serves families from College Hill, Wayland Square, Fox Point, Blackstone, Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, and Barrington. Our Wakefield office serves South County families from South Kingstown, Narragansett, Kingston, Westerly, and beyond. Both offices feature iCAT CBCT 3D imaging for the most precise diagnostic capabilities available anywhere in Rhode Island.

We work closely with pediatricians, ENTs, sleep physicians, and myofunctional therapists at both locations to provide truly comprehensive care for your child.

Give your child the best foundation for a healthy smile. Book a pediatric orthodontic evaluation at our Providence or Wakefield office today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should my child first see an orthodontist?

We recommend every child have an orthodontic evaluation by age 7. That does not mean treatment starts at 7. Most kids we evaluate do not need anything done right away. The visit lets us check how the jaws and airway are developing while there is still time to guide growth, and if everything looks good, we simply monitor with periodic growth checks. When a child has an early orthodontic concern under 7 we are still happy to see them. We start with a phone call from our treatment coordinator to see if we are the right first stop or if one of our colleagues may be a better initial visit.

My child's teeth look straight. Do they still need an evaluation?

Yes. Straight front teeth can hide a narrow upper jaw, a crossbite, or crowding that has not surfaced yet. We also look at things parents cannot see at home, like how the bite fits and whether the airway has room to develop. A quick evaluation either catches a problem early or gives you peace of mind.

Does pediatric orthodontic treatment hurt?

Modern treatment is far gentler than what most parents remember. Our expanders are custom 3D printed for each child, so insertion is comfortable, and appliances are designed to work with gentle, steady pressure. Most kids adjust within a few days.

How much does a consultation cost?

Consultations for kids are free at both our Providence and Wakefield offices, and no referral is needed. We will take a look, explain exactly what we see, and tell you honestly whether your child needs treatment now, later, or possibly never.