It is best for the orthodontist to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required and when the best time would be for treatment to begin. The first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in by that time and crossbites, crowding, and other problems can be evaluated. When treatment is started early, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early treatment can simplify later treatment.

If no early treatment is indicated, we would see your child every six months or yearly to ensure that the jaws continue to grow normally and teeth are developing and erupting as they should. By monitoring jaw growth and tooth eruption, we can determine when you are ready to start with orthodontic treatment.

Please see the following website to learn more about the benefits of early orthodontic treatment.

Click here to learn what the American Association of Orthodontics recommends