The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children see an orthodontist as early as age seven. At this point, the orthodontist will evaluate whether your child will need orthodontic treatment.
How to tell if your child may need early orthodontic treatment:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth (your child should typically start losing teeth around age five, and will have all permanent teeth around age 13)
- Difficulty chewing and/or biting
- Mouth breathing
- Your child continues sucking his or her thumb after age five
- Speech impediments
- Protruding teeth (the top teeth and the bottom teeth extend away from each other)
- Teeth that don't come together in a normal manner or even at all
- Shifting of the jaw when your child opens or closes his or her mouth (crossbites)
- Underbite
- Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight
What is early treatment?
Early treatment (also known as Phase One) typically begins around age eight or nine. The goal of early treatment is to correct the growth of the jaw and certain bite problems, such as crossbites. Early treatment also helps to make room for permanent teeth to come in properly, lessening the chance of extractions in the future. Early treatment is followed by a brief resting period during which retainers are worn to hold the current position of the teeth. Once the majority of permanent teeth have erupted, often a second phase of orthodontic treatment is performed (around age 12).
Early Treatment Reviews
We love Greater Madison Orthodontics! Everyone there is so kind, nurturing and just simply amazing! I couldn’t trust anyone more to help my kids with their ortho needs!
My son and I both had our orthodontic treatment at GMO Orthodontics with Dr. Doshi and the experience was excellent from start to finish. The entire staff is incredibly nice, welcoming, and easy to work with, which made every visit a positive one for both of us.They did a great job making my son feel comfortable during his appointments, and I appreciated how clearly everything was explained throughout our treatments. The team is professional, organized, and genuinely cares about their patients.It was really nice going through orthodontics alongside my son, and we’re both very happy with the results. I would definitely recommend this practice to anyone looking for a friendly and supportive orthodontic office for both adults and kids.
Dr. Doshi is awesome! She is incredibly thoughtful about the treatments she recommends, and takes a holistic approach. She ia also fun and caring. The whole staff is great! Working with them was great! I would (and have) highly recommend Greater Madison Orthodontics..
Both my kids went to Greater Madison Orthodontics and the experience throughout was wonderful! The staff are so kind and knowledgeable and Dr. Doshi is the sweetest women alive and the best in class Orthodontist!
We are so pleased by our experience at Greater Madison Orthodontics! Dr. Doshi leads a fantastic team that is always laughing and having fun while they work. They really put our teen at ease as she went through the process of having her braces. Today, we finished up, and the result was phenomenal. Kudos to the entire staff and I would recommend her to all!
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How will early treatment benefit my child?
The main goal of early treatment is to prevent more complex issues in the future such as jaw asymmetry or severe crowding necessitating extractions. Putting off treatment can result in a need for more invasive treatment later in life that may not completely fix your child’s smile.
If your child is between the ages of seven and eight and shows signs of needing orthodontic care, or if you have been directed by your family dentist to visit the orthodontist, please contact our practice and schedule an appointment. Our team will provide your child with an initial exam, and discuss with you the best steps to take toward caring for your child’s smile.
