AAPD recommends an orthodontic evaluation by age 7. Why so early? Because a real chunk of bite problems are way easier to fix while a kid is still growing. Catch them then, and you can avoid a much bigger project later.
Early intervention. We use small appliances and short courses of treatment to guide jaw growth and how the teeth come in. The goal is to head off bigger issues before they’re set in stone.
One of the most common tools we use. A Hawley expander gently widens the upper jaw. Kids who get this early often avoid crowding, crossbites, and the kind of crowding that ends with permanent teeth being pulled later for orthodontics.
Treatment usually runs a few months. Kids adapt fast.
Most early ortho patients are between 7 and 10. Some younger, some older.
Done at the right time, early treatment can shorten or eliminate full braces later. Skipped or done late, the same kid often ends up needing permanent teeth pulled, surgery, or years of treatment that could’ve been avoided.
We’ll only recommend early treatment if we think it’ll meaningfully help. Sometimes the right call is to watch and wait.
A confident smile can make a big difference in your child's life. We're here to help every young patient achieve a healthy smile they can be proud to share.
