9 December 2019 | Dr. Frédéric Lavoie
As parents, you have probably asked yourself a lot of questions concerning your child’s oral health. Here are the questions that come up most often when it comes time to assess their orthodontic needs :
- Should we wait for the child to have all their adult teeth?
- Should we intervene as quickly as possible?
- Is there a specific age to start consulting?
- Is it better to wait until adulthood before starting treatment?
How to evaluate your child’s needs
The majority of specialists as well as the Canadian Association of Orthodontists (CAO) recommend an initial orthodontic evaluation at the age of 7. This is usually a good time to evaluate the first appearance of permanent molars and incisors, the relationship between the jaw and the teeth as well as several other orthodontic problems. There are some more serious cases that may require intervention as early as 4 or 5 years old, but these cases are generally less common.
The key to an effective and optimal treatment relies on an assessment in the early stages of a child’s teeth development in order to detect problems from the start and offer significant improvements when orthodontic treatments are required from a young age. An orthodontic assessment can also provide peace of mind for parents in the event that no intervention is required.
The advantages of orthodontic interventions at a young age
Following a thorough assessment of your child’s needs, your orthodontist may recommend an early intervention. There are several benefits to preliminary treatments. We can think to :
- The ability to improve jaw growth
- Minimize the risk of dental problems
- Improve speech problems
- Much more.
Early orthodontic treatment will not preclude the need for later interventions but can greatly improve outcomes and may lead to much simpler and more effective orthodontic treatments and corrections later.
Regardless of your child’s case, the most qualified person to assess your child’s needs is a professional and specialized orthodontist. Contact us now to make an appointment for an orthodontic evaluation with one of our specialists.