The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child see an orthodontist by age 7.
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the best time to schedule your child’s first orthodontic appointment is around age seven. By this time, your child should have some of their adult teeth. With a few adult teeth in place, we can more easily diagnose and fix any misaligned teeth and jawbones.
Phase I Treatment / Early Treatment
During Phase I, we will monitor your child’s development regularly and look for potential problems. When caught early, we can fix any issues before they become severe and require surgery.
Phase II / Adolescent Treatment
Phase II treatment refers to the beginning of your child’s orthodontic treatment. At this stage, we will place the appliances and continue to monitor the development of your child’s teeth and jaws for changes. While the length of treatment is different for each case, by harnessing the rapid growth that occurs during these adolescent years, most patients finish treatment in under two years.
Does Your Child Need Treatment?
If you notice any of the following issues in your child, contact us today to schedule your first visit. Beginning early treatment now can prevent problems from becoming severe later. Ultimately, this saves your family lots of time treatment costs.
- Finger or thumb sucking beyond age 3
- Crowded front teeth
- Issues chewing or biting into food
- Losing baby teeth very early or late
- Mouth breathing
- Crowded, blocked, or misplaced teeth
- Problems closing the mouth properly or at all
- Teeth and jaws that are disproportionate to the rest of the face
- Jaws that pop or make sounds when opening and closing