Early Treatment

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that most children see an orthodontist by age 7. In some cases the severity of the problem can be reduced by an early phase of treatment. While there are some children who can benefit from early intervention, generally, most children will not start orthodontic treatment until age 9 or older. Let your general dentist be your guide, and then schedule a complimentary consultation with us.

With an initial examination, Dr. V can help you decide if your child needs early treatment. In most cases, no early treatment is recommended. The long-term goal of orthodontics is to achieve proper function of the chewing system, and this requires detailing the positions of all the permanent teeth. Obviously, this cannot be carried out when many or most of the permanent teeth have not yet erupted.

In certain cases, such as a crossbite (top teeth inside of bottom teeth), poor eruption of permanent teeth, a narrow upper jaw, or an especially severe problem, an early phase of treatment might be in order. The goal of this early treatment is to reduce the severity of a problem, or to gain improvement at an early stage that cannot be accomplished as well during comprehensive treatment. Typically, early treatment lasts six to twelve months.