When Is the best time for orthodontic treatment?

Dr. Yury Slepak, a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist of the Brooklyn Pediatric Dentistry, recommends patients be evaluated for orthodontic treatment by the age of seven. By seven, enough permanent teeth have erupted and the jaw has grown enough to identify potential problems and begin to correct them.

Some factors that might influence the need for orthodontic intervention at an early age are:
• Thumb sucking
• Mouth breathing
• Difficulty chewing
• Crowding or misplaced teeth
• Jaw shift or clicking

Benefits of early treatment are many and may include the following:
• Regulate the width of dental arches
• Correct harmful oral habits (thumb sucking)
• Reduce or eliminate abnormal speech patterns
• Improve personal appearance and increase self-esteem
• Shorten the time needed for orthodontic treatment later in life

Early orthodontic treatment can be a benefit to both you and your child by making her future orthodontic care much easier and quicker. Consult with your child’s dentist to determine whether early orthodontic treatment is best for your child.