Early Treatment

Age 7 - 9

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children be evaluated by an orthodontist at age 7!  To be clear, this is not because all children need orthodontics at this young age - In Fact some children have not lost their first baby tooth by age 7, which definitely means they are too young for orthodontics.  If Early Treatment is indicated the ideal time is when at least two permanent (adult) front teeth have erupted on the top and bottom. That is why Dr. Goforth’s recommendation is between age 7 - 9.  If your child is dentally advanced, age 7 might be the right fit for your family.  If you just want Dr. Goforth to take a look and let you know if the consultation timing is right that is okay too! The reality is that most children do not need a 1st round of orthodontics. This is simply because Early Treatment is designed to correct one of the few problems that are best corrected during growth (examples of which can be found on this page). Most orthodontic problems can luckily be corrected in one round or phase of braces which is often best for the teeth and the wallet. With that said if your child does need Early Orthodontic Treatment it is best to correct the problem promptly during growth because if left uncorrected they can lead to larger, harder to correct problems down the road.  Some problems if left uncorrected can result in asymmetric growth, damaging to the surrounding teeth and tissues, or insufficient room for all the adult teeth to erupt! There is no charge for the consultation so there is truly no harm in coming in for an information gathering consultation to get a baseline for your child between age 7 - 9!

Problems to Watch For in Growing Children

Hopefully Helpful Glossary of Terms

• Crossbite: occurs when teeth are on the “wrong side” of the bite. This can happen in the front (anterior) or the back (posterior) of the bite and can be as simple as a dental crossbite where a tooth simply erupted in the wrong spot or a crossbite can be the result of an underlying skeletal jaw problem. Crossbites are always best addressed as soon as they are observed and are one of the most common reasons for the need of early treatment.

• Protrusion: A fancy way to say that the teeth stick out or flare forward. We also call this excessive overjet and is often the first sign of a “Class II Malocclusion”. Often correction of this dental problem can be postponed until all the permanent teeth are present in one round of braces. However, if the protrusion is severe, preventing comfortable closure of the lips at rest, or causing social issues for your child, it is recommended to correct to prevent tooth fracture or additional dental problems.

• Deep Bite: How much the front teeth overlap the bottom teeth is referred to as overbite. Often correction of this dental problem can be postponed until all the permanent teeth are present in one round of braces. However, if the bite is very deep or causing indentations on the palate it is best corrected during growth to prevent further unfavorable stunting of lower jaw growth.

• Complete Class III: This is similar to crossbite - as it is usually first noticed as a crossbite, however in this case it is a result of an underlying skeletal jaw problem that if not corrected during growth often cannot be fully corrected to the same degree. Unfortunately if your child has a full front underbite you should try to be evaluated around age 7 to determine what plan of treatment is best for your child. Often a phase 1 and phase 2 orthodontic treatment is necessary.

• Diastema: Fancy word for gaps or spacing. The good news is spacing is a wonderful thing in baby teeth - it means there is more room for the larger adult teeth to erupt. With that said spacing is often an orthodontic problem that can be postponed until comprehensive treatment closer to when all the adult teeth are in, however, sometimes large spacing or asymmetric spacing can be the first sign of an underlying issue with the developing permanent teeth such as teeth erupting in the wrong space, extra teeth or missing teeth.

• Ectopic Eruption: Teeth erupting in the wrong spot. This is another very common reason for early or interceptive treatment. This can happen to any permanent tooth, however commonly impacts the 1st molars and canines. If caught early often simple extraction of interfering baby teeth can correct the problem without the need even for early orthodontic treatment. If teeth become very “off course” of their ideal eruption path often surgical intervention becomes necessary. Ectopic teeth are one of the big reasons Dr. Goforth suggest everyone be evaluated by an orthodontist at this early age even if everything looks normal above the gums you should have a professional assess for any of these, or other, orthodontic problems that are best treated early.