Crossbites with a functional shift
A lower jaw that shifts can affect how it grows. When caught early, crossbites are often much easier to correct.
When Should You See an Orthodontist?
Your Child's First Visit
What Age Should My Child First Visit an Orthodontist?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that your child first see an orthodontist at the age of seven. You do not need a referral from your primary care dentist to set up your child’s screening.
Many times your primary care dentist will recognize problems that need to be seen by an orthodontist and place a referral to our office. An age-seven screening helps make sure nothing is overlooked and that all of the teeth are erupting and developing properly.
Most seven-year-olds will not be getting braces. The screening is about finding the small number of concerns that are best addressed early.
7Screen by age
A Simple Screening
Early Insight Without Rushing Into Treatment
The overwhelming majority of patients who come in for a screening do not need early treatment. The purpose is to catch and rule out potentially serious situations that can be difficult to detect to the untrained eye.
If something does need attention, addressing it while your child is growing may help avoid longer, more expensive or more invasive treatment later.
What We Look For
Concerns Worth Catching Early
There is no need to be worried about full braces at this age. We are screening for problems that could become more serious if left untreated.
Early or late loss of baby teeth
Timing problems can block permanent teeth or allow nearby teeth to move into spaces they should not occupy.
Thumb or finger habits
Persistent habits can move teeth and affect jaw growth. Coaching and reminder appliances can help.
Severe dental crowding
Early planning can improve alignment and help permanent teeth come in more favorably, sometimes without early braces.
Impacted or missing teeth
A thoughtful plan can guide teeth that are stuck in the bone and help them erupt as easily as possible.
Protruding teeth
Adult teeth that stick out too far can have an increased risk of injury or damage.
Jaw alignment issues
Growth can be used strategically when a jaw is recessed, shifted or developing asymmetrically.
Social or confidence concerns
Teasing or self-consciousness about crowded, spaced or protruding teeth can be a valid reason to discuss early care.
Treatment Timing
Why Are Some Kids Getting Braces Earlier?
Catching things early can save a child from lengthier, more complicated and more expensive treatment later. At the same time, most children will not need braces until 11 to 13 years of age.
Research comparing children who waited until ages 11 to 13 with children who received two phases of treatment found nearly identical outcomes in many cases. Whether to begin early should always depend on the risks involved in your child’s individual case.
Only 5–10%of young patients screened may actually need early treatment. For those children, acting early can prevent much more involved care later.
Although starting early is crucial in some cases, most children between ages 7 and 10 do not need early treatment. If the same or better result can be achieved with less time in braces and a lower overall cost, waiting is often the right choice.
The Point of Screening
Early Treatment or Not?
Your child should see an orthodontic specialist no later than age seven. You do not need a referral from your dentist. About 90–95% of the time, your child will not require early treatment. Instead, we will monitor growth until the ideal time for braces, and only if they are necessary.
- Crossbites
- Severe crowding
- Jaw alignment issues
- Early loss of baby teeth
- Late loss of baby teeth
- Impacted or missing teeth
- Finger and thumb habits
- Protruding teeth
Braces and Growth
What Is the Best Age for Braces?
If a child does need early treatment, it will typically begin between ages 7 and 10, depending on which permanent teeth have erupted. Otherwise, the best timing depends mainly on the number of permanent teeth present and your child’s stage of growth.
Starting before enough permanent teeth have arrived can add unnecessary time in braces. Growth is equally important. If a child’s lower jaw is recessed, treatment during the peak growth period can provide options that become limited after growth is complete.
Underbites require different timing. In younger children they can sometimes be corrected with braces and special appliances, while teenagers may need to wait until growth is nearly complete before definitive treatment decisions are made.
Adult Orthodontics
For Adults, the Best Time Is Now.
Teeth continue to shift over time, whether or not you had braces as a child. Crowding can make teeth harder to clean, create abnormal wear and cause bite concerns that become more difficult to correct.
Braces are not just for kids. Invisalign and clear braces make adult treatment more discreet, and it is common for adults to seek care after losing or no longer wearing a retainer—or simply because they never had treatment and are ready to improve their smile.
Tooth Guidance Recall Program
No Early Braces. What Happens Next?
If your child does not need early braces, the next step is our Tooth Guidance Recall Program. We will see your child every 6 to 12 months to monitor tooth eruption and jaw growth and catch problems that might occur along the way.
The goal is to begin treatment at a time that allows your child to spend the least amount of time possible in braces while still achieving the best outcome in the most cost-effective way. In most cases, waiting until the right time significantly reduces the total time in braces.
A Simple First Step
Wondering Whether It Is Time for an
Orthodontic Screening?
Schedule a free consultation with Collins Orthodontics.
No dentist referral is needed.