Early-Age Orthodontic Treatment Part 2

What is the Best Time to Start Early-Age Treatment?

There is no single ‘best time’ to start early-age treatment, as the ideal timing depends entirely on your child’s unique dental needs.However, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that an orthodontist evaluates all children.  Many orthodontists recommend screening at age 4 or 5. This is because some habits and problems are best treated as early as possible.

For the most part though, if your child needs early treatment, your orthodontist will start the process when all the 6 year old molars and all of the adult incisors have erupted. Waiting too long can make treatment less effective. Once a child stops growing, we lose the chance to utilize natural growth spurts for tooth alignmen. In other words, there is a window of opportunity to treat certain problems that should not be missed!

What are the Benefits to an Early-Age Treatment Approach?    

• Improvements in Self-Esteem: During critical years of childhood and adolescence, front teeth influence a child’s self-esteem and psychological well-being. Irregularities in the front teeth can cause teasing from classmates. Straightening the teeth during early-age orthodontic treatment  can cause improvements in self esteem during these years.
  
  

  Early-Age Treatment Efficiency and Scheduling

• Less Overall Time:  The patient remains under our care for a longer period. However, treating problems early often makes the process much easier.

  However, because we address problems early, we can schedule shorter appointments with more time in between., which is important for busy parents in this day and age.

  Functional and Long-Term Health Benefits 

• Less Pain: Some tooth alignment problems and bite problems can cause pain for children when they bite down or speak, so fixing them early will have a positive effect.
• Prevention of Chipping and Damage to Teeth:  Protrusive or “Bucked” teeth are more at risk for fracturing or chipping so fixing them will minimize this risk.
  
  

  Common Early Treatment Goals

• Fewer or No Extractions: Early expansion corrects most tooth crowding, or regaining of lost space from premature loss of baby teeth, which minimizes the need for permanent teeth extractions.
• Making Problems Less Severe:  Early detection and intervention can make problems easier to deal with overall.
• Greater Patient Compliance: Children aged 7 or 8 are often more excited to get braces than teenagers. Because of this enthusiasm, they are more likely to follow their orthodontist’s instructions.
  
  

  
  Aesthetics and Cost Savings

• Stability of Results:  Teeth adapt more easily to movement during early-age treatments
• Less Traumatic: For the most part the younger the patient is the easier tooth movements are, so overall there is less force needed to get the tooth to move which means patients experience less pain.
• Improvements in Esthetics: Studies show that a People generally consider a wider smile more attractive.  Early treatments that  width is increased by expansion and make it more attractive.
• Improvements in Airway: Early-age treatment can also improve a growing child’s airway. This help may prevent other medical and cognitive issues later in life.
  
• Lower Treatment Costs:  Although each orthodontic office has different pricing models, for the most part early-age treatment should reduce overall costs. This is especially true if you avoid surgery. You may save a substantial amount if a second phase of treatment becomes unnecessary. To learn more about our pricing, view our Orthodontic Financing page.

We hope this 2 part series has helped you understand what early-age orthodontic treatment really is and if it is right for your child.  Now you know why that 8 year old is getting braces!