We are often asked, ” How old does my child have to be to get braces?”. More and more young children are spotted sporting braces and I’m sure your curious why.
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the best age for children to be seen by an orthodontist for the first time is 7. Why 7? It has been proven early intervention can prevent problems that might surface later on. Not every orthodontic problem can be treated at 7 but most problems can be identified.
Lucky Number 7
1. Breaking Bad Habits
If your child sucked (or still sucks) their thumb, their upper teeth can protrude or stick out while their lower teeth tend to tip backwards . This bad habit can also negatively effect the development of the pallet and how teeth erupt.
2. Peaceful Sleeping
Your child may snore due to how their jaw is situated. An orthodontist can diagnose or explain this reasoning early on if they are brought in for an early evaluation, giving everyone a more peaceful sleep.
3. Growth
Once your jaw is finished growing it becomes harder to obtain certain results. With an early evaluation, we still have time to treat certain issues while the jaw is still growing.
4. Eruption Issues
We are able to see how your teeth are situated with a panoramic X-ray and can anticipate certain issues like over crowding.
5. Avoiding Future Issues
Problems can be treated more easily in childhood than in adulthood, such as regulating the width of the upper and lower arches. This can prevent things such as jaw surgery or other severe issues later on.
6. Customized Treatment
Each time a new patient walks through the door, we sit down with them and develop a customized treatment plan for them to make sure they receive the best results.
7. Confidence
Kids can be cruel. By bringing you child in for an early evaluation, we can correct issues such as buck teeth improving their appearance and building their confidence.
Is your child 7 yet? Call our office and schedule a consult today!
