When to first visit the Orthodontist?

A common question that I get is "when should I first bring my kid to the orthodontist?"

Great question.

First off, many parents will wonder if their child needs braces for medical reasons. Certainly there are kids with skeletal issues that have cross bites (upper teeth are positioned inside of lower teeth) or high palate (roof of mouth is really narrow often times due to prolonged thumb sucking) which are highly recommended early braces because it can prevent future issues including speech impediment or lisping. But for the most part, many kids do not have a medical need for braces. They will need braces however, if you want your child to have straight teeth for a nice smile. And as research shows, people with nicer smiles tend to eventually make more money as adults.

A good time, especially for girls, is to visit the orthodontist around age 9 or so. Girls hit puberty quicker than boys. When kids hit puberty, the bones in the jaw start becoming more dense and sutures start closing. As such, if a child needs braces and it is recognized earlier before puberty, a lot of movement can be done ahead of time and when all the permanent teeth erupt (typically around age 12), the last phase of braces can be completed with less complications. Even if the orthodontist deems that your child is not ready for braces at age 9, they can monitor them periodically until it is time to start braces.

At Circle C Dental, we do not do braces for kids, but we do adult cosmetic Six Month Smiles braces. If you are interested in Adult braces, please contact us!