When Should My Child Have Their First Orthodontic Evaluation?

We recommend that kids have their first orthodontic evaluation around the ages of seven to eight years old. This might seem early, but some children benefit from early orthodontic intervention. Here's what parents should know.

What Is Early Orthodontic Intervention?

During your child's initial orthodontic evaluation, your pediatric dentist is looking for a couple of telltale signs that your child might benefit from early intervention or phased orthodontic treatment:

• Bite concerns — A severe overbite, underbite, or crossbite could warrant early intervention. At this stage, your child's jaw is still growing and developing, which gives us a window of opportunity to guide that growth and correct bite issues more easily than if we waited until the jaw is fully formed. Addressing these concerns early can also help prevent uneven wear on the teeth, speech difficulties, and jaw discomfort down the road.
• Severe tooth crowding — Overly crowded baby teeth are often an early warning sign that there won't be enough space for incoming adult teeth. When we catch this early, we can use your child's natural growth to gently expand the palate, creating the room adult teeth need to erupt comfortably and in proper alignment. This proactive approach can help reduce the likelihood of more extensive orthodontic work, like extractions, later on.

What Happens During Phase One of Early Orthodontic Treatment?

During phase one, we focus on correcting problematic bite and tooth alignment concerns. Our dentists may recommend an expander to eliminate crowding and create more space for future teeth. They may also use braces to move the teeth and bite into better alignment. 

Phase one orthodontic treatment can boost your child's confidence, improve their chewing function, enhance their speech, and correct bite and tooth alignment. This often makes phase two of orthodontic treatment easier and more efficient in the future. 

Contact your pediatric dentist in Mountain View, CA, at (650) 282-5758 if you'd like to schedule your child's orthodontic evaluation.