My son is in grade 5 and there are two other children in his class with braces. Is this too early to place braces on the teeth?
Orthodontists see patients across a wide age range—from children to adults. The Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends that children visit a registered specialist orthodontist for an assessment between the ages 7–10. This will allow the orthodontist to perform a comprehensive assessment of your child’s dental development and advise whether early treatment is necessary or not.
There are many orthodontic problems that can be managed at 8–9 years old that will provide a meaningful benefit to the child. Sometimes treatment at that age (or delayed) will most benefit after the adult teeth have appeared in the mouth. In general, the goals of early orthodontic treatment include:
- Preventing trauma to the teeth and gums
- Improving function and/or self-esteem
- Reducing the complexity of future orthodontic treatment
Braces placed on a child around 8–9 years old are usually partial braces and are placed only on several teeth, rather than “full braces” commonly seen in teenagers, or aligners that are placed on all the teeth. Other appliances that orthodontists may use in this age group are fixed expansion or removable “plates” that are used to treat early orthodontic problems.
Another benefit of an early assessment is to allow the orthodontist to determine if the adult teeth are developing in the correct direction, and whether there will be enough room for them to erupt in the correct position. Often early intervention that can be done before the adult canines erupt will prevent problems that could occur with growing in the wrong direction and/or growing into an adjacent tooth.
In conclusion, early orthodontic treatment can be appropriate at an early age, and whether it is better to wait until they are older will be decided at your orthodontist’s assessment.
Dr. Alan Tran
DDS (Melb), DCD (Ortho)(Melb), AOC Cert