At what age should your child see an orthodontist? The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends kids have their initial screening around age 7. Many conditions are far easier to treat if they're caught at an early stage, when children's natural growth processes are in full swing. An orthodontist will look for issues that need to be corrected now to create positive growth to prevent extracting permanent teeth or jaw surgery in the future. Your child’s initial screening can also determine whether or not there will be adequate room in the mouth to accommodate the permanent teeth and if early treatment is necessary.
Other problems we evaluate for include cross-bites, early or late loss of baby teeth, tongue thrusting and jaw growth discrepancies. Most often, active treatment won’t begin until later and monitoring jaw growth & tooth loss once a year is in order. In fact, most kids don’t begin orthodontic treatment until around age 9-14 years old. Bringing your child in early can significantly reduce the chances of future orthodontic problems.
To schedule your child's complimentary initial screening with Ellis Moon Orthodontics Pearland or Manvel, give us a call today. For more information on our office, you can visit www.ellismoonorthodontics.com!