The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children be evaluated for orthodontics by age seven. At this age, enters what we call the mixed dentition stage; they still have baby teeth, but their first permanent molar has erupted.
Steps to Determine if Your Child Needs Braces
Just because we evaluate your child for orthodontics, however, doesn’t necessarily mean they need braces. In fact, seeing your child at this age and providing early treatment may eliminate the need for braces in the future.
The goal of early orthodontic treatment—also called Phase One Treatment or interceptive orthodontics—is to ensure that there’s enough space in your child’s jaw for their permanent teeth to erupt correctly. The types of problems Dr. Robertson looks for during his evaluation are spacing problems and malocclusion (overbite, underbite, crossbite, etc.).
Depending on his findings, Dr. Robertson may recommend Phase One Treatment which usually involves wearing an orthodontic appliance. For example, if your child lost a baby tooth before it was ready to come out on its own, Dr. Robertson may recommend a space maintainer. This appliance prevents neighboring teeth from moving by holding space, so the permanent tooth comes in straight.
Whatever Your Child Needs, Our Irvine Team Is Here
Jeffrey C. Robertson, DDS is an experienced dentist who offers children's braces in Irvine, CA. He will evaluate your child and let you know if early treatment can eliminate the need for full orthodontic treatment when they get older. Please call us at (714) 838-7272 to arrange a convenient appointment.