For Children

Orthodontics for Children

While there is no exact age for children to begin orthodontic treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends visiting the orthodontist around age seven.

By this age, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth and most dental and skeletal patterns are established, making it easier for the orthodontist to diagnose and determine the ideal time to initiate treatment. 

Early treatment allows your orthodontist to:

• Correct and guide the growth of your child's jaw to help the permanent teeth come in straight
• Improve the width of narrow upper and lower jaws
• Create more space for crowded teeth
• Avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions 
• Correct thumb sucking and help improve minor speech problems

For parents, it's not always easy to know if your child may need orthodontic treatment.

Here are a few things to look for that may mean your child needs to see an orthodontist:

• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• A hard time chewing or biting food
• Mouth breathing
• Finger or thumb sucking
• Crowded, misplaced, or blocked teeth
• Jaws that pop or make sounds when opening and closing
• Teeth that come together abnormally, or do not come together at all
• Jaws and teeth that are not proportionate to the rest of the face
• Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight

Please contact our practice to schedule an appointment for an orthodontic evaluation. Interceptive treatment if required will give your child a healthy, beautiful smile for the future.