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When Should My Child See the Orthodontist?

Home » Orthodontics » When Should My Child See the Orthodontist?

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, you should expect to have your child’s initial orthodontic evaluation right around the age of seven. While this will be different depending on the child in question, it’s a good rule of thumb to give you an indication of exactly what to expect.

If your child starts to exhibit bite-related issues or similar problems earlier than that, it’s always okay to take your child to see a dental professional as needed. But overall, you really shouldn’t take your child to the orthodontist any LATER than the age of seven for the best possible results.

What Kind of Orthodontic Care Might Be Recommended for My Child?

Maybe the most common type of orthodontic care frequently recommended for children is traditional braces – something most of us out there are familiar with.

With traditional braces, small metal brackets are secured on each tooth. Using a metal wire, the brackets are connected. The wire is what pulls the teeth into the ideal position over time. Periodically during treatment, your orthodontist may adjust the strength of that wire to make sure that everything is proceeding exactly as it should be, and so that you and your child don’t have to deal with any unfortunate (and ultimately unnecessary) delays.

What if My Child Does Not Need Early Orthodontic Treatment?

Even if your child doesn’t need early orthodontic treatment, it’s still a good idea to see an orthodontist for the first time using the guidelines outlined above. Oftentimes the peace of mind that comes with this alone is more than worth the effort for most parents.

But the most important thing to understand is that even when a child doesn’t need early orthodontic intervention, an orthodontist can still carefully monitor their growth and development – beginning treatment at exactly the right moment to make sure that they have the perfect smile they both want and deserve.

Does My Dentist Need to Refer Me to an Orthodontist?

If your child is already seeing a dentist, it’s quite common for this person to refer the child to an orthodontist when they feel the need for treatment has arrived. Having said that, it is not expressly necessary that an orthodontist has a referral from a dentist to diagnose and treat issues like an overbite or an underbite. It’s not required, and nothing is stopping you from “shopping around” to see if you can find someone that you and your child are comfortable with.

In other words, just because your dentist refers you to a particular orthodontist does not mean you have to go with that person if you don’t want to.

How Can I Tell if My Child Might Need Braces?

Your orthodontist will be able to give you a better idea of whether or not your child needs braces during your initial consultation. Even if your child’s teeth aren’t crowded or if they don’t have teeth that are spaced too far apart, braces may still be necessary to correct any bite-related issues moving forward.

Therefore, the early evaluation of your child provides both timely detection of problems AND a greater opportunity for a more effective treatment across the board.

What Will Happen During Our First Visit? Will My Child Need Treatment?

Answering the second part of that question is exactly what the first question is designed to do. During your first visit, your orthodontist will perform a thorough examination of your child’s mouth – likely including x-rays and other techniques of that nature – to get the most complete picture possible regarding the situation moving forward.

Why Does My Child Need to See an Orthodontist?

For the sake of argument, let’s say that your child doesn’t necessarily need braces right now – but they will someday. Not only does going to an orthodontist help confirm this, but quick intervention is also a great way to guide growth and development in the right direction. In essence, this is proactive – it’s all about addressing small issues now before they become more serious problems down the road.

But as a parent, there’s no way to tell this on your own. You lack access to the type of equipment necessary to make the most informed decisions possible. Your orthodontist, on the other hand, DOES have access to this equipment (and to a lifetime of training, as well) and can help give you an indication of the exact situation that you’re dealing with and what will be necessary to guarantee the best results possible for your child.

Should We Wait to See the Orthodontist Until My Child Has All of His/Her Permanent Teeth?

This is another rule of thumb that is a very good one to follow. Most people wait to have their child see an orthodontist until all of his or her permanent teeth come in because it will be far easier to see exactly what types of issues the child is going to be dealing with in the future.

How Will Orthodontic Treatment Help My Child?

By the age of seven, the first adult molars will appear in your child’s mouth – thus establishing the back bite. When you take your child to an orthodontist during this time, he or she will be able to evaluate front-to-back and side-to-side tooth relationships. They’ll also be able to get a better indication of problems that the child might face in the future.

The presence of erupting incisors, for example, can indicate a possible overbite, an open bite, crowding, or even “gummy” smiles. The earlier on in your child’s life this is detected, the earlier on treatment can begin. Timely screening in this fashion ultimately increases the chances for an incredible smile in a very dramatic way – which, for most children and their parents, is the most important benefit of all.

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What Our Patients Are Saying

Brianna S.
Literally had the best experience! Couldn’t ask for a better orthodontist.
Anna A.
Came in because I ate a chip and messed up my retainer. Dr Dressler’s and his assistants were amazing!!!! Shout out the girls in the back. Highly recommend this place! Thank you guys! 💕
Shoey R.
If I was to recommend anyone to get braces, I would tell them to come here! Love this crew and Dr. Dressler… also teeth came out amazing!
Kelly C.
Dr. Dresslers office is awesome, my Daugther’s braces were done by them and they did wonderful! My son just had his put on and I’m sure the results will be just as great! Highly recommend!
Mary B.
Wonderful group of people. Everyone was really nice and helpful. The place is very nice and clean.
Laura J.
The staff is super nice, they are very flexible with you if something happens. They get you in right away. We have had nothing but great experiences there.
Robert B.
This is our second child getting braces here and they are phenomenal again! Staff is always great! Dr Dressler really knows his stuff. He is quite funny as well. My kids love them! Well worth the money!
Sarah P.
Dr. Dressler and all of his staff are wonderful! Both my girls are current patients and we could not be happier with the service provided by Dressler Orthodontics.
Stephanie P.
This is our 2nd child added to Dr Dresser's office. We received a generous discount for having multiple children in braces thru his practice. At any time we were having problems making monthly payments we just had to call and they worked with whatever was best for us. I truly have never had a better experience with any medical or dental practices than with Dr Dresslers.
The S.
We immediately felt very welcomed by their staff. Dr. Dressler took the time to explain in detail what to expect over the next 2 years of this journey and quickly got us in for her appointment to put on her braces. An area where they truly excelled was their office manager took the time to call our insurance company and obtain all of the information including their her actual policy information since we had just changed companies and didn’t have the cards yet. She had in minutes what could’ve taken weeks potentially!! We also had established an expense account to go towards health costs and she helped us track that down with the utmost patience and diligence. I love the sense of family amongst the staff, and their office is very clean and love that they diffuse yummy smelling essential oils vs harsh scents; so being someone who’s very sensitive to chemicals, this made a good impression. My daughter loves her braces, ands they got us in immediately when we needed a quick repair . I know we made the right decision going with Dresslers office, and not knowing where to start, since we are brand new to the area and knew no one. A true gem and win!
Andrea G.
Being a prior patient with a “Dressler Smile”, I only wanted the best when it comes to my son. If excellent care by Dr Dressler and his staff wasn’t enough of a reason to come see him, the convenience of being able to text pictures of my sons teeth, and receive a quote on braces, check my insurance, schedule an appt, all on my lunch break at work would be my next reason to go here. 1st visit we were in and out with braces! It seems I never remember that I need to call and make an appt until I am at work which is inconvenient time to call, then try and look at my schedule, this takes out all of that hassle and puts my life back in my hands.
Hannah F.
Dr Dressler & staff are fantastic! We never have to wait long either, the staff is quick to respond if we need help after hours. This is our 3 set of braces (third patient) with in our household he has done!
Cannon W.
Everyone at Dr. Dressler’s office was amazing! Very clear with plans, instructions, and information. I’m so glad we chose them! My son really liked Bria. She was great with him, she’s awesome! Dr. Dressler took his time and explained the needs and what he looked to happen in the future.
Josslyn K.
Great place! Wonderful staff. They took my very shy and anxious kid and made her experience one that she raved about. Keep up the great work.
Marionnth “Maudi” D.
Dr. Dressier and his staff are amazing. My daughters felt comfortable and they guided us through the whole process.
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