As a parent who wants only the best for your child, how do you know whether your child needs braces or not? The fact is, the only way to know for sure is to visit a trained orthodontist to have your child’s jaws and teeth examined thoroughly.
While some children may have overt signs of needing braces, such as wide gaps between the teeth or noticeably crooked teeth, other children may experience more subtle developmental problems that won’t be apparent to an untrained eye until it’s too late. And while some family dentists will let you know if they think your child should visit an orthodontist, the truth is that some underlying orthodontic problems may go undetected during a typical dental exam and cleaning.
This is the reason why the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that every child be evaluated by an orthodontist at age 7. This particular evaluation is called the “early evaluations,” and its purpose is to identify any problems with your child’s jaws and teeth BEFORE all the adult teeth have erupted. During this evaluation, your child’s orthodontist may also be able to advise you whether your child is likely to need braces after all his or her adult teeth have come in.
If your child is already older than 7 and hasn’t been evaluated yet, don’t worry! Your family orthodontist will still be able to evaluate and correct potential or active problems in order to ensure your child’s dental health.
To learn more about early evaluation treatment, click here.
If you would like guidance in choosing the right orthodontist for your child, read our article on the qualities of a great orthodontist, or feel free to search our national online database to find a high-quality orthodontist in your area.
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