Early Treatment
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children see an orthodontist no later than age 7.
This may surprise you since orthodontics is usually associated with adolescence. However, the permanent first molars and incisors have usually erupted by this time and the child can be evaluated for any overbites, cross bites, or crowding that may be present. Early orthopedic intervention guides growth and development and may prevent serious problems that could require jaw surgery. Treatment may not start at this time, but it is important to ensure that your child receives the maximum dental benefit.
Early Warning Signs Indicating it is Time for an Orthodontic Exam:
Early or late loss of baby teeth
Difficulty in chewing or biting
Finger sucking or other oral habits
Mouth breathing
Crowding, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth
Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude
Crossbites (teeth on the wrong side of where they should be)
Speech difficulty
Biting into the roof of the mouth
Protruding teeth (aka “Buck teeth”)
Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
Facial imbalance or asymmetry
Advantages of early orthodontic treatment:
Increase self-esteem early
Reducing the risk of trauma to protruding front teeth
Shorten/improve second phase of treatment
Possibly eliminate the need for future jaw surgery
Reduce need for permanent tooth extraction
Correct abnormal speech or swallowing problems
Alleviate thumb sucking habits
