Why We See Patients at Age 7
“All Kids Should Get a Check-up with an Orthodontist No Later Than Age 7” – AAO
According to The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)…
“To have a healthy smile that’s good for life, your child needs teeth and jaws that are properly aligned. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that your child get a check-up with an orthodontist at the first recognition of the existence of an orthodontic problem, but no later than age 7. By then, your child has enough permanent teeth for an orthodontist to determine whether an orthodontic problem exists or is developing.
Putting off a check-up with an orthodontist until a child has lost baby teeth could be a disservice. Some orthodontic problems may be easier to correct if they’re found early. A check-up no later than age 7 gives your orthodontist the opportunity to recommend the appropriate treatment at the appropriate time. If early treatment is in order, the orthodontist may be able to achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.”
GROWTH AND GUIDANCE
Early evaluation provides both timely detection of orthodontic problems and allows a greater opportunity for more effective treatment at the optimum time.
Our Growth & Guidance Program is a passive phase of treatment in which we monitor facial growth and dental development, as well as determine the most appropriate time to address any identified problems. These complimentary visits to our office are relatively short & easy. Appointments in this phase range anywhere from 3-12 months apart depending on the orthodontic assessment of each particular child.
The Growth & Guidance phase allows us to re-evaluate at well-timed intervals:
- Monitor for a normal transition from primary teeth (baby teeth) to permanent teeth (adult teeth)
- Identify and intervene if and when irregular growth and/or eruption patterns start to form. This will help indicate if there is a need for longer than average length of orthodontic treatment in the future.
- Manage any harmful oral habits that may exist or develop which can inhibit normal development.
- Determine the proper time to intervene or initiate treatment to minimize treatment time while maximizing the treatment result.
- All permanent teeth need NOT be present for treatment to be initiated. Many times, treatment needs to start early to help the eruption of teeth, save space to align the teeth and/or maximize the bite correction.
We look forward to seeing you at prescribed intervals to reevaluate the progress of your child’s orthodontic development.
At this stage timing is everything and will help us accomplish our journey together towards an incredible smile.