Knowing when to start orthodontic care for your children can be a tricky dilemma. The timing of orthodontic care can be crucial to a child’s social development as kids will often exclude others based on any physical differences, including orthodontic devices and abnormal placement of teeth.
There is no simple answer to when to start orthodontic care for children. Each child must be assessed by an orthodontist in order to determine the proper course of treatment. The initial orthodontic assessment usually begins with your pediatric dentist, who will identify the orthodontic problem and refer your child to a local orthodontist for further treatment.
Some Basic Guidelines for When to Start Orthodontic Care for Kids
Some orthodontic conditions, such as the crowding of teeth, may be treated as early as seven years of age. Most orthodontic treatment will begin when the child has gotten all of their permanent teeth, usually during the adolescent years.
If you suspect that your child will need orthodontic care, ask your pediatric dentist for his or her opinion or schedule an orthodontic consultation early on the determine when to start orthodontic care for your child. Some kids will need to start treatment earlier than others, but only a professional can determine when’s the best time to start treatment.
You should also consider starting orthodontic treatment to coincide with important events in your child’s life such as prom, senior pictures, or graduation. Many students prefer to have orthodontic treatment completed before the beginning of these events.
Having a beautiful smile will also affect your child’s developing self-esteem and social relationships with peers. While this is not the primary factor in determining when to start orthodontic treatment, it is a consideration for determining the start of treatment when several options exist.
It is very important to involve your child directly in the decision process when determining when to start treatment. If your child feels involves and believes his or her opinion is important, they will be more actively involved and compliant in their care. This advantage will be invaluable as your child’s orthodontic treatment progresses.
Early or late, each child should be treated as the unique individual that he or she is. Only your pediatric dentist or orthodontist can determine the best course of treatment for your child, and he or she will perform a thorough assessment to gather all pertinent information necessary to make an informed decision about the right time to begin orthodontic treatment.