When is the Right Time For My Child’s First Orthodontic Evaluation? 

Some aspects of raising children require more initiative than others do. For instance, bath time before bedtime is easy, as is teaching your children to brush their teeth before bed. But when should you bring your child in for a visit with the orthodontist?

In this blog, the highly skilled team at Duval Orthodontics answers that question and many others to unravel mysteries of the when and why behind your child’s initial introduction to orthodontics.

What happens during an orthodontic evaluation?

The initial questions that may come to mind are: What is an orthodontic evaluation? And: How is it different from a routine dental checkup? An orthodontic evaluation is a type of checkup, but instead of focusing on the health of the teeth and gums, the focus is on the relationship between the teeth in the upper and lower arch and the jaws.

During an orthodontic evaluation, the orthodontist performs a thorough oral examination, paying specific attention to your child’s bite. Sometimes, your orthodontist takes X-rays for more detailed information on expected jawbone growth.

The overarching goal of an orthodontic evaluation is to determine if there is an existing bite issue like crowding, crossbites, open bites, deep bites, or overbites or if a potential bite issue is forming.

Evaluation comes before active treatment

An orthodontic evaluation doesn’t necessarily signal the beginning of active orthodontic treatment when your child wears braces or Invisalign to correct a bite issue or straighten their teeth.

An orthodontic evaluation is an essential initial step that typically comes years before active treatment begins, if ever; one result of an orthodontic evaluation could be a determination that your child doesn’t need braces after all.

If your orthodontist detects an emerging issue, an orthodontic evaluation includes a future treatment timeline and recommended treatment options. At this point, your child enters a monitoring phase and may come in for periodic visits to track the development of their orthodontic issue.

When final baby teeth are loose or by age 7

At Duval Orthodontics, we recommend scheduling your child’s first orthodontic evaluation at about age 7 when your child’s final baby teeth are loose. At this point of development, your orthodontist can observe a good mix of permanent and baby teeth while your child’s face and jaw are still growing. These key data points help determine whether an orthodontic issue exists or a potential problem is developing.

You may think, why go to the expense of doing an orthodontic evaluation when my child may not need braces, or if they do, it’ll be years from now? Two words: time and money. If your child needs braces, having a head start in planning has many strategic advantages, including:

• Detecting and addressing orthodontic problems before they become more complex 
• Reducing overall treatment time
• Decreasing the need for extractions by managing the eruption of new teeth
• Guiding incoming permanent teeth and jaw growth
• Preventing or eliminating abnormal speech or swallowing problems
• Creating better facial symmetry by manipulating jaw growth
• Ultimately producing better orthodontic treatment results

The active treatment phase occurs from 9 to 14

Although it varies from patient to patient, if your child needs braces, the usual age to enter active treatment is 9-14. Even though your child is still growing, they have many permanent teeth.  

Once active treatment begins, orthodontic treatment typically takes an average of 22 months. Your orthodontist determines the treatment period by factoring in the severity of the issue getting treated and the type of oral appliance being used to correct it.

To book your child’s first orthodontic evaluation, contact Duval Orthodontics. Call the office in Warner Robins or Albany, Georgia, or make an appointment online today.