Determining the best time to for orthodontic treatment is highly specialized and individualized for each patient. The American Association of Orthodontists suggests you have your child evaluated at or around age seven. At this age, key developmental changes should have occurred in your child’s dental and facial structures that would help determine the need for orthodontic treatment.
These changes include, but are not limited to:
- Eruption of upper and lower permanent first molars; this influences the bite position and width of the jaws
- Eruption of the upper and lower permanent incisor teeth (front teeth), which affect the arch length and width. Your front teeth can also impact crowding, deep bites, open bites, and some facial asymmetries.
Dr. Fotovat’s professional analysis and monitoring of your child’s dental development will give you peace of mind and help avoid more serious problems in the future. Most children will not need early treatment. As a board certified orthodontist with over 20 years in practice, you can trust Dr. Fotovat to guide your child’s treatment gently and safely for the best long-term results.
Early orthodontic treatment (Phase I) can identify and address the following:
- Encouraging proper jaw growth
- Coordinating the upper and lower jaw width and position
- Minimizing the risk of trauma to protruding upper front incisor teeth
- Correcting the results of oral habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, etc.
- Boosting self esteem
- Improving speech difficulties
- Resolving facial asymmetries
- Reducing the risk of impacted teeth
- Preserving or gaining space for unerupted teeth if primary teeth are lost prematurely
- Lessening treatment time for second phase orthodontic treatment
If your child needs early orthodontic treatment (Phase I), the time frame usually spans from 6 to 18 months. Once Phase I treatment ends, Dr. Fotovat will remove any appliances and monitor the growth and development of the patient during a rest period called observation. The corrective portion of the orthodontic treatment (Phase II) can begin after permanent teeth have erupted. During Phase II, treatment will address the alignment of all permanent teeth to achieve a Picture Perfect Smile.
There’s no time like the present. If your child is around the age of seven and hasn’t had an orthodontic evaluation, we encourage you to enjoy a complimentary consultation with us. Call us at 818-980-5300 to schedule an in-office visit or start your Virtual Consultation now by clicking the SmileSnap button on this page.
