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At what age should I first consider an orthodontic evaluation for my child? The American Association of Orthodontists recommends age 7 as the ideal age for initial orthodontic evaluation. Typically at this age the development of the teeth and jaws is such that a great deal of information regarding the potential for tooth alignment problems (crowding, etc.), bite problems (overbite, underbite, crossbite, etc.) and or jaw growth problems can be determined. In some instances your dentist may even recommend an earlier evaluation. Will treatment be started at such an early age? In some cases it is quite advantageous to start treatment early from a preventative point of view. An early exam assures maximum dental health for your child. Early orthodontic treatment can often help reduce the need for more extensive treatment at a later date and can improve the outcome. Early treatment may also be considered an important positive influence on your child's self-esteem. Often if the correction can be deferred until a child is older then an observation program is prescribed which will allow for appropriate monitoring of your child's dental and jaw development in order to determine the optimum timing for orthodontic treatment. In which situations would early treatment be considered? In cases where there are significant discrepancies present in the relationship of the upper and lower jaws (i.e. severe overbite, underbite, or crossbite) early treatment may be recommended. Additionally whenever the teeth are severely crowded, misaligned or impacted early treatment may greatly reduce future complications. Habit intervention may also be considered at an early age. The decision to treat early or to wait until a child is older is a complicated one depending on numerous factors including but not limited to the nature of the orthodontic problem, the child's awareness of the problem, the child's level of apprehension regarding treatment, whether or not the condition may improve or get worse in time, and whether or not the treatment outcome will be improved. |
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