Orthodontic treatment is an important means of correcting overcrowded, irregular or misaligned teeth and jaws, helping to correct both aesthetic and quality of life issues in patients. One question many families have when seeking orthodontic treatment is what is the youngest recommended age when children should have their first orthodontist appointment? In today’s blog we will be answering this question by looking at the benefits of early orthodontic treatment for children.
When should a child have their first orthodontist appointment?
This is one of the key questions many parents have when considering their child’s dental health. Most dental experts recommend that a child’s first orthodontic checkup be performed by the age of 7. By age 7 a child has enough permanent teeth that an orthodontist can evaluate how the teeth and jaws are developing. With this information they can determine what sort of treatment is necessary or what treatment may be necessary in the future.
Why should a child receive early orthodontic treatment?
Early orthodontic treatment can help eliminate developing problems and help guide the jaw and facial bones to provide room for incoming permanent teeth. Problems that orthodontists may recommend for early treatment include underbites, crossbites, crowded teeth, excessive tooth gaps, extra or missing teeth, teeth that meet abnormally and thumb, finger or pacifier sucking that is affecting the growth of the teeth or jaw. Treatments can involve an orthodontic device, either fixed or removable, or may involve the extraction of baby teeth to help with the growth of permanent teeth.
These treatments ensure that a child will have a healthy smile moving into adulthood and can help head off developing problems before they occur often reducing or eliminating the need for invasive orthodontic treatment later in life. There is also an advantage in having orthodontic treatment performed before a child reaches the age where they start to be more concerned about their appearance in case they need visually obvious braces or other noticeable orthodontic devices.
We hope that we have been able to demonstrate why early orthodontic treatment can be beneficial to children and how it can help them have a healthy smile for the rest of their life. If you have any questions or concerns regarding early orthodontic care, feel free to contact our offices and speak to our friendly staff.
The Hicks orthodontic practice has been around for over 40 years, with Bryan Hicks taking over for his father. Dr. Hicks works hard to give his patients extraordinary outcomes from their orthodontic treatment.
If you have any questions about this article or need to talk to someone in the office, give us a call at (604) 922-0111.
