When to Begin Treatment
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child first visit an orthodontist when a problem is initially detected. This visit could be as early as 2 or 3 years of age and no later than age 7. Treatment does not necessarily need to begin at such early ages, but these examinations are necessary to ensure the best health for your child's teeth.

There are many indicators that parents should be watching out for. This will help you catch the problem in its early stages and make treatment much easier. Here are some signs to watch for:

Early or late loss of teeth
Difficulty in chewing or biting
Mouth breathing
Finger sucking or other oral habits
Crowding, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth
Jaws that shift or make sounds
Speech difficulty
Biting the cheek or into the roof of the mouth
Protruding teeth
Teeth that meet in an abnormal manner or don't meet at all
Facial imbalance
Jaws that protrude or retrude
Grinding or clenching of the teeth

It is never too late to visit an orthodontist. We are able to improve smiles no matter what age, but there is an optimum time for treatment to begin. An early examination allows us to determine how and when a child should begin treatment. With some patients, this early beginning allows results that could have been impossible once the face and jaws had finished growing.

If your child has a problem that requires attention at this early age, we may recommend interceptive treatment. This plan for treatment uses facial growth and tooth eruption to its advantage and can make the problem less severe. Later treatment can then be shorter and less expensive. This type of treatment can be helpful in:

Avoiding fracture or loss of protruding teeth
Eliminating adverse habits such as thumb-finger sucking, tongue thrusting and lip habits
Correcting early alignment of teeth
Evaluating breathing problems that may adversely affect normal growth and jaw shape
Correcting crossbite, tooth grinding, tooth interference and lower jaw displacement
Coordinating the extraction of primary (baby) teeth with the family dentist
Allowing for proper eruption of permanent teeth
Improving self-image

When a child's smile has improved, their self-confidence almost always goes up. This can have an impact on all aspects of their lives. That is why it is important to remember that the value of a smile should never be underestimated.