Orthodontics for Children

While there is no exact age for children to begin orthodontic treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic screening by age seven.  However, as Pediatric Dentists,  Drs. Posner and Goslee often recognize developing problems in patients that can be best treated even younger than seven with great acceptance and success.  Young children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, making it easier for Dr. Posner and Dr. Goslee to diagnose and correct tooth, jaw, and growth problems sooner, without more extensive and often invasive treatment later in life.

By this age, most children have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, making it easier for the orthodontist to diagnose and correct tooth and jaw problems sooner and without surgery.

Early treatment provides a wonderful opportunity to:

• Correct and guide the growth of your child's jaw to help the permanent teeth come in straighter.
• Regulate the width of the upper and lower arches better than later in life
• Create more space for crowded teeth
• Eliminate or lessen the likelihood of needing to extract permanent teeth later in life
• Correct thumb-, pacifier-, and finger-sucking habits, as well as tongue-thrust and other functional problems early in life while these habits can more easily be broken
• Improves the child's self-esteem and the way others perceive the child.
   

For parents, it's not always easy to know if your child may need orthodontic treatment, so please be sure to come in to have us evaluate your child.
 

Here are a few things to look for that may mean your child would greatly benefit from early orthodontic evaluation and treatment:
 

• Early/late loss of baby teeth
• If your child has a hard time chewing or biting food
• Mouth breathing
• Finger or thumb sucking
• Crowded, misplaced, or blocked teeth
• Jaws that pop or make sounds when opening and closing
• Teeth that come together abnormally, or do not come together at all
• Jaws and teeth that are not proportionate to the rest of the face
• Crowded front teeth

Please contact our practice to schedule an appointment for an orthodontic evaluation. Early treatment now will give your child a healthy, beautiful smile for the future.

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