EARLY TREATMENT

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have an initial orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven.  This is a good age to start monitoring jaw growth and permanent tooth eruption.  As a service to you and your family dentist, the initial consultation and all successive recall examinations are complimentary.  These visits may reveal that your child’s orthodontic development is normal.  The doctors may also identify an orthodontic problem, and can determine whether it is best to wait until your child is older to treat the condition, or begin treatment at an early age.  Early treatment can be beneficial in certain situations because it may:

• Prevent more serious problems from developing at a later age
• Influence the growth of the jaws in a positive manner
• Correct harmful oral habits
• Help lower risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
• Reduce the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth
• Reduce or eliminate the need for extraction of permanent teeth
• Improve the width of the upper arch to make additional room for permanent teeth to erupt
• Improve the way the lips meet