At Smile On Clinics we often get asked: what is the best age for kids to get braces?
While people of any age can benefit from braces, we recommend that children who may need orthodontic treatment should be assessed by a dentist between the ages of 8 and 10. This allows the dentist to evaluate your child’s teeth and determine if they may need early treatment.
Your dentist’s assessment will cover existing teeth as well as those that are yet to break the surface to help predict their future growth.
How do I know if my child needs early orthodontic treatment?
There are several ways you can determine whether your child may need early orthodontic treatment. You should seek an assessment if you observe any of these characteristics or behaviors in your child:
- Early loss of baby teeth (before age 5)
- Habits including thumb/finger sucking, prolonged (>3 years old) use of pacifiers (dummies) etc.
- If your child’s teeth do not meet properly when biting
- Mouth breathing and/or snoring or grinding teeth whilst sleeping
- If your child’s front teeth are crowded (you generally won’t see this until the child is about 7 or 8 years old)
- Protruding front teeth
- Biting or chewing difficulties
- A speech impediment
- If your child’s jaw shifts when he or she opens or closes their mouth
What are the benefits of early orthodontic treatment?
Early orthodontic treatment begins while a child’s jawbones are still soft. They do not harden until children reach their late teens. As the bones are still pliable, corrective procedures work faster and more effectively than they do for teens and adults. Appropriate early treatment is an effective interceptive measure that lays the foundation for a healthy and well-functioning mouth in adulthood.
While your child’s teeth may appear aligned and straight, there could be underlying issues that need to be addressed to prevent more serious problems from developing. Early intervention usually means that later orthodontic treatment will be more straightforward and completed in a shorter amount of time which can also be financially beneficial in the long run.
What to expect at their first orthodontic visit?
At Smile On Clinics, our caring and highly skilled team led by Dr Andrew Sproll (Children’s dentist and orthodontics) can take care of all your orthodontic needs, conveniently onsite in the practice.
Dr Andrew Sproll, one of our leading dental practitioners at Smile on Clinics at Mingara Dental and Empire Bay Dental, has a particular interest and extensive experience in the area of children’s dentistry & orthodontics.
If you think your child needs or would benefit from early orthodontic treatment, a dentist with additional orthodontic training, experience and expert knowledge to determine the most appropriate treatment options and the best time to start treatment. Where indicated an appropriate referral to a specialist orthodontist may be indicate and completed. Dr Andrew Sproll, lead dental practitioner at Empire Bay Dental and Mingara Dental is an expert in children’s dentistry & orthodontic care so you know you are in safe hands.
Contact us to book at consultation for your child today!