Early Prevention

The American (AAO) and recommend that children have their first orthodontic evaluation or screening no later than age 7. It is the ideal age to evaluate children’s dentition, some of the benefits of early evaluation include:

• Some of the permanent teeth have already started to grow in, but there are still many temporary teeth in the mouth.
• Face and jaw development is well under way and many orthodontic problems can be detected.
• Early detection and intervention can reduce the severity of certain problems and the need for more expensive and complicated treatments such as jaw surgery, extraction of permanent teeth, etc.
• Orthodontic treatment may not be necessary, but proper supervision can help plan for the most advantageous time to begin treatment.

When it has been determined that some problems are developing, certain preventive measures may be undertaken to prevent these conditions from worsening. The key to prevention is regular supervision by the orthodontist.