A child should see an orthodontist no later than age
7
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that ALL children get a check-up with an orthodontic specialist by age 7. Much like your child has “well check-ups” with your pediatrician or family doctor, an early visit with your orthodontist will ensure that your child is on track to have a healthy and beautiful smile.
I frequently hear in my office: “I thought I was supposed to wait until my child had all his/her teeth before seeing the orthodontist?”
The reality is that orthodontic problems begin to develop at a very young age and those problems can usually be detected early on. Often we meet with parents who are surprised by the problems that we discover in their young, growing children.
By becoming educated early, you will give your child the best chance to develop a more beautiful and healthy smile. Braces are generally NOT placed until children are older, but for some children, an early stage of interventional orthodontics is best to avoid more serious problems.
A common misconception is that the teenage years is the best time to have your child visit the orthodontist for the first time. Actually, there are good reasons for an orthodontic check-up much sooner.
But why do we screen children when they are young? We can:
- 1 Detect and eliminate jaw growth problems that would require surgery later in life
- 2 Reduce the need for permanent tooth extractions
- 3 Prevent tooth impaction and damage to adjacent teeth
- 4 Achieve results that are unattainable once growth is complete
- 5 Give your child a confident smile during growth
- 6 Correct harmful oral habits like thumb sucking
- 7 Lower the risk of trauma to protruding front teeth
- 8 Reduce the need for extensive orthodontic work
Unfortunately, I see many children after problems have gone unnoticed for too long resulting in longer, more involved orthodontic procedures to correct them.
IMPORTANT: Parents may be concerned about their child having braces too early and left on too long. In reality, our goal is the exact opposite. By screening your child while they are young, we can detect problems early, plan the best timing for treatment, and keep treatment time to a minimum.