Child Treatment
Children who have blown out the candles from their 7th birthday may already be behind the curve when it comes to orthodontic care, but it is definitely not too late. Orthodontists would like to see children by age 7 to determine if orthodontic treatment is necessary. It also is the best time for the young patient to receive treatment. This is because the first permanent molars and incisors usually have come in by the age of 7 and crossbites, crowding and other problems can be evaluated by then.
Timing is everything and when treatment has begun early, the orthodontist can dictate the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment could result in simplifying treatment later in life. Early consultations help regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches and gain space for permanent teeth, avoiding the need for permanent tooth extractions, reducing the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correcting thumb-sucking and eliminating abnormal swallowing or speech problems.
Orthodontists are trained to spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth remain present. The correction of some problems could be more difficult if parents wait until all the permanent teeth have come in or until facial growth is nearly complete. While the child’s teeth may appear straight, there could be problems only an orthodontist can detect. On the other hand, the check-up may reveal that the child’s bite is fine.
An orthodontist may take a “wait-and-see” approach, opting to check the child periodically as the permanent teeth come in and the jaws and face continue to grow. For each patient who needs treatment, there is an ideal time to begin so the best results can be achieved. The goal of every orthodontist is to provide patients with the appropriate treatment at the appropriate time.
(source: www.braces.org American Association or Orthodontists)