I have a child who is 9 years old and I have noticed that some of their friends are undergoing orthodontic treatment. Is it too early to start treatment at this age?
It is a common thought that orthodontic treatment should start in the teenage years, once all of the permanent teeth have replaced baby teeth. In some cases, however, younger children with orthodontic problems may benefit from early orthodontic intervention.
- We recommend that you book your child for an orthodontic assessment if you notice any of the following:
- Early, late or irregular loss of the baby teeth.
- Crowded, crooked or misplaced teeth.
- An underbite or overbite.
- Teeth that seem out of proportion to the remainder of the face.
- Persistent oral habits such as thumb sucking beyond the age of 5 years.
Early orthodontic treatment may give us a chance to:
- Guide the growth of the jaws.
- Lower the risk of trauma to prominent front teeth.
- Correct very bad oral habits.
- Guide permanent teeth to erupt into a more favourable position.
- Improve the alignment of the teeth generally.
- Avoid extraction of permanent teeth.
Getting the timing right for any orthodontic treatment is important. We recommend that you bring your child to us for their first orthodontic consultation when they are approximately 8 years of age.
Kate
Dental Hygienist
ADOH (RMIT)