When is a Good Time for your Child to See an Orthodontist?

What child would want to wear braces when they’re an adult? No child! This is one of the reasons why taking your child to see an orthodontist at an early age is important. So when is a good time for your child to see an Orthodontist? Well if you guessed age seven then you are correct!

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the best age for children to be seen by an orthodontist for the first time is seven. You might think that your child is too young to start orthodontic treatment but by having your child go to an orthodontist at such an early age it helps to identify problems at an early stage. Here are some of the benefits of having your child see an orthodontist at an early age:

Tooth Loss: When your child is between the ages of six and eight they will lose eight of their primary teeth and once they’ve gone then the permanent teeth will begin to come in. This means that by the time your child is seven years old they will have eight new permanent teeth (four molars and four incisors, all of which will be permanent). At this time problems can occur such a crowding or missing teeth.

Crowding & Spacing: Another reason for your child going to see an Orthodontist at age seven is that an orthodontist can look for extreme amounts of crowding or spacing. Depending on if your child has issues with crowding or spacing it may require certain procedures to be done.

Alignment: Your child’s teeth can be aligned at almost any age but the sooner they get an orthodontic treatment done to correct the alignment the better it will be for them.

Underbites, Posterior Crossbites, Anterior Openbites, and Deepbites: At the age of seven these types of bites can begin to get corrected if not get fully corrected. But remember getting a head start on fixing these issues can be better for your child especially when they read adulthood.

If you still are unsure as to when and why your child should go see an orthodontist, speak with your dentist so they can help address your concerns and questions. Remember to schedule your child’s orthodontist appointment as soon as possible. Not only will your child thank you in the long run but so will their teeth!