What Is the Best Age to Begin Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment can involve braces, palatal expanders, spacers, invisible aligners, orthognathic surgery, or a blend of strategies to straighten and align your smile. 

Many orthodontists encourage clients to start thinking about orthodontic treatment for their children while they’re still growing when the bones are still pliable during childhood and adolescence. 

Our experts at Hendricks Dental Specialists in Brentwood, Tennessee, want to set your child up for a lifetime of optimal oral health and function. With options like clear braces, metal braces, and Invisalign®, we customize your child’s orthodontic treatment to address an array of common issues. These orthodontic treatments can fix the following: 

• Overbite
• Underbite
• Crossbite
• Open bite
• Crowded teeth
• Wide gaps between teeth

If you see any of these when your child smiles, it’s time to consider orthodontic interventions. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of when to start orthodontic treatment and what early orthodontic treatment entails. 

Why orthodontics?

A common misconception is that orthodontic treatment is cosmetic. But it’s also an important part of preventive care. While a well-aligned smile is attractive, orthodontic treatment boasts additional benefits for your child’s current and future oral health. 

First, straighter teeth are easier to keep clean. Crooked and overlapping teeth create hard-to-reach areas that your child may be unable to brush or floss. Trapped bacteria can lead to dental complications like cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. 

A well-aligned bite is also more functional. Your child might experience problems with chewing or speaking because of crooked teeth. Some teeth might withstand more pressure in their bite than others, which causes enamel wear-and-tear. 

When to start

The American Association of Orthodontics urges parents to book their child’s first orthodontic consultation by age seven. While this may seem early, especially if your child still has a mouthful of baby teeth, a visit around this age can determine if your child needs any early orthodontic interventions before braces. 

Several early orthodontic treatments can help your child avoid more costly or extensive orthodontic care in the future. These include:

Palatal expanders

A palatal expander is a device that widens your child’s upper jaw. It works alongside your child’s natural growth and development. Sometimes, palatal expanders can help your child avoid unnecessary tooth extractions. 

Tooth extraction 

Your child’s orthodontist may decide to remove baby teeth or impacted teeth (teeth that haven’t erupted) to create more space. 

Sometimes, an early orthodontic consultation doesn’t lead to immediate treatment. We might advise you to come back in a few years for braces. Or, we might determine that your child does not need orthodontics. 

We want to be clear that you can start orthodontic treatment at any age, so if you already went through adolescence with a crooked bite, you can still get braces or Invisalign as an adult. 

Expectations for later orthodontic treatment

Orthodontists typically recommend braces or comparable orthodontic treatments during early adolescence, usually between ages 10 and 14. We can determine the best time for your child to get braces or clear aligners, if they’re necessary at all.

During the initial visit, we might take X-rays to view your child’s jaw, bite, and any impacted teeth. We make their treatment recommendations based on our findings. 

Braces are the standard option and come in metal or clear varieties. Braces involve a system of brackets attached to your teeth with wires and bands threaded through them. During regular orthodontic visits, we tighten the wires and bands to guide the movement of teeth. 

Invisalign is an alternative option for adults and some adolescents. It involves a customized system of clear, plastic aligners your child places over their teeth. They’re less noticeable than braces. 

If your child is nearing the ideal age for an orthodontic consultation, don’t hesitate to book the visit and consult with our team. Call Hendricks Dental Specialists or request an appointment online today.