Orthodontics for children

What is the ideal age for a child to start orthodontic treatment?
We believe the answer is about seven years of age as we can start to identify if there might be orthodontic issues.

In a healthy situation the teeth of a pre-school aged child should be spaced to allow room for the wider adult teeth to erupt. When the child bites together, all upper and lower teeth should meet and the upper teeth should all sit in front of/outside the lower teeth. When the child swallows, all upper and lower teeth should meet. If a child’s teeth deviate from any of these norms, early orthodontic treatment may be required.

Orthodontic treatment is of course only effective when a child is willing and able to tolerate dental visits and orthodontic appliances. Though we prefer to treat children as soon as orthodontic problems are identified, sometimes this is not feasible. In this circumstance we monitor the child with regular visits until they are comfortable and happy to proceed.

Early treatment may help with:

• Proper jaw growth
• Improving appearance
• Improving positioning of permanent teeth
• Comfort – wearing plates is far more comfortable than wearing braces
• Self-esteem
• Preventing more serious problems from developing
• Lower expenses than treatment in later years

Want to know more about the orthodontic process, costs or what aftercare is involved? Find out more on our FAQ page.