What Is Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Early orthodontics addresses developing problems in children whose jaws and permanent teeth are still growing, typically between ages six and ten. Rather than waiting until all permanent teeth have erupted, early intervention takes advantage of your child's growth to guide development.
This approach can correct jaw discrepancies while bones are still malleable, create space for crowded permanent teeth, reduce the severity of future treatment, and address habits like thumb-sucking that affect development.
The Right Time for Evaluation
The Canadian Association of Orthodontists recommends children have an orthodontic evaluation by age seven. At this age, children have enough permanent teeth for us to assess how their bite is developing, and there's still time to influence growth if needed.
Early evaluation doesn't mean early treatment for everyone. Many children evaluated at seven don't need Phase 1 treatment and are simply monitored until they're ready for comprehensive braces later. The evaluation helps us catch the children who will genuinely benefit from early intervention.
Common Early Orthodontic Issues
At our Pickering office, we commonly treat several types of problems with early intervention. Crossbites, where upper teeth sit inside lower teeth, can cause asymmetric jaw growth if not corrected. Severe crowding may benefit from expansion to create space for permanent teeth.
Underbites and significant overbites can sometimes be improved with early treatment while the jaw is still growing. Habits like prolonged thumb-sucking or tongue thrust may need intervention to prevent long-term effects on tooth position and jaw development.
Types of Early Treatment
Early orthodontic treatment may involve palatal expanders to widen the upper jaw, partial braces on some teeth to correct specific problems, habit appliances to address thumb-sucking or tongue thrust, headgear or other growth modification appliances, and space maintainers to preserve room for permanent teeth.
Treatment typically lasts twelve to eighteen months, followed by a monitoring period before Phase 2 comprehensive treatment if needed.
The Two-Phase Approach
Children who undergo Phase 1 treatment often need Phase 2 treatment later, usually full braces in the early teen years once all permanent teeth have erupted. However, early intervention typically makes Phase 2 shorter, simpler, and more predictable.
Families from Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, and throughout Durham Region bring their children to Hi Five Kids Dental & Braces for early orthodontic evaluation and treatment that sets the foundation for healthy, beautiful smiles.
