Orthodontics for Kids and Teens

By age 7, most children have a mix of baby (primary) and adult (permanent) teeth. Orthodontists are trained to spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present. The advantage for patients of early detection of orthodontic problems is that some problems may be easier to correct if they are found and treated early (Phase I Treatment). Waiting until all the permanent teeth have come in, or until facial growth is nearly complete, may make correction of some problems more difficult. For these reasons, the AAO (American Association of Orthodontists) recommends that all children get a checkup with an orthodontist no later than age 7. While your child’s teeth may appear straight to you, there could be a problem that only an orthodontist can detect. Of course, the checkup may reveal that your child’s bite is fine, and that is comforting news as well.

Teenagers should also be evaluated as soon as possible to limit the severity of any potential orthodontic problems. Children in their teens are undergoing pubertal growth spurts which can be advantageous or detrimental to some jaw discrepancies. Only your orthodontist can evaluate these potential problems and advise the best course of treatment. Thankfully, the majority of teenager orthodontic cases is limited to some minor crowding and spacing, and can be treated with minimal orthodontic treatment.