EARLY TREATMENT
At what age should my child see the orthodontist?
Ideally, an initial assessment is recommended for children aged 6 to 8 to monitor and assess facial growth and abnormalities. This is followed by review appointments every 6 to 12 months to monitor the growth of the jaws and face.
Early Intervention
If your child has a problem that requires attention, the orthodontist may recommend interceptive treatment.
Early intervention, which takes advantage of facial growth and tooth eruption, can decrease the severity of a problem and frequently ensures that treatment at an older age is less time consuming and less expensive.
Interceptive treatment may be beneficial for:
- Correcting early alignment of teeth.
- Enhancing proper speech development.
- Correcting cross bite, tooth grinding, tooth interference, and lower jaw displacement.
- If necessary, coordinating the extraction of primary (baby) teeth with the family dentist and allowing for proper eruption of the permanent teeth.
- Improving self-image.
- Avoiding fracture or loss of protruding teeth.
- Assuring that the jaws and teeth meet properly during chewing and swallowing.
- Eliminating adverse habits such as thumb/finger sucking, tongue thrusting, and lip habits.
At what age should treatment start?
Generally, active treatment commences after all the baby teeth have fallen out, meaning most patients start treatment in their early teens. However many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected at an early age before jaw growth has slowed. Early treatment may mean that a patient can avoid more serious complications and treatment later on.
