While age 7 is the best time to get evaluated for orthodontic care, only about 10–15% of kids need orthodontics at this early age, so if you have missed this window of opportunity, that’s OK—we successfully treat children and adults of all ages so that they can achieve their very best lifelong smiles.
Typically, age 7 is the ideal age for the first phase of two-phase orthodontic treatment to begin. Two-phase orthodontics is the combination of early orthodontics (phase one) and what people traditionally think of as orthodontic treatment—moving teeth with braces or Invisalign® after all of the adult teeth have erupted (phase two). It usually involves techniques that help guide the growth of the jaw, allowing all of the adult teeth ample room to grow in.
Early treatment when it is necessary is advantageous because a young child’s teeth have not finished erupting and their jaws are still developing, which allows us to guide the rest of their adult teeth as they come in and fix any jaw size or alignment issues before they become more serious. Some of the techniques we use in early orthodontics include using a palatal expander to align the upper jaw with the lower jaw, partial braces to fix a misaligned bite or gaps and tooth crowding, and headgear.
When needed, early orthodontic treatment has many benefits, including
To discover if early orthodontic treatment is recommended for your child, Dr. Warren will meet with you and your child during a complimentary consultation. During this appointment, the ideal timeline for treatment will be established and a personalized treatment plan with a recommendation for the type of orthodontic treatment that is best for your child will be created.
Parents, for more information about orthodontic treatment for your children, check out our Braces FAQ.
Here are some of the signs that your child may be a candidate for early orthodontic treatment:
If you have concerns about your child’s dental development, or if your child is showing one or more of the above signs, we encourage you to request a consultation for your child with our trusted orthodontist. We look forward to guiding you through the process of your child’s orthodontic care at Warren Orthodontics. Thank you for the opportunity to care for you and your family.