The American Association of orthodontists recommends
that all children get an orthodontic checkup
no later than age seven. Although only a few orthodontic
problems need correcting at that age, an early
exam allows the dentist to offer advice and guidance
as to when the appropriate age to start treatment.
Dr. Lyons’ goal is to time the beginning of treatment
when:
1- it will render the best results (facial aesthetics, less
relapse potential).
2- treatment time will be shortened (adult teeth have
erupted).
3- growth is occurring rapidly (for correction of skeletal
problems).
Sometimes, it may be beneficial to correct certain
problems early: Interceptive treatment often translates
into a shortened, facilitated and more cost effective
orthodontic treatment later.
 For children with skeletal problems (ex.: overbite) it is
often best to start near or at the pubertal age.
(approximate ages: 10 to 12 for girls and 12 to 14 for
boys). This is when the body grows the fastest and
changes will be seen more rapidly.
However, we’ll also take into account that the treatment
can not be finished until all the adult teeth have
erupted so we are likely to postpone things until all
the baby teeth have fallen out (unless the problem is
severe). However, in some cases it can be detrimental
to wait too long.
Failure to treat before the end of growth can mean the
need for camouflage treatment (extraction of certain
teeth) or Maxillo-facial surgery for the correction of severe
skeletal problems.
Our consultation is FREE, so it is better to
consult too early rather than too late. |
