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Age 7

Although there is not a specific age a child should start orthodontics, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends children to receive their first orthodontic screening by the age of seven. By age seven, most children's teeth have started emerging, and adult teeth begin to form. By performing an initial orthodontic screening early on, we can determine possible issues that may be arising. For issues that may be developing, it is best to catch them as early as possible and begin the correction process before they may become more serious issues, such as grinding teeth, biting and chewing, or teeth and jaw alignment.

Love Your Smile

 

"But I don't want to do braces twice!"

We agree! We follow the AAO recommendations to screen every child at age 7. During your child's initial evaluation, our doctors will first determine if there are any problems that need to be addressed, such as crossbites, significant potential crowding, open bite, or severe overbite. It is possible that immediate treatment is not necessary at that time... However, if treatment is indicated, he will create a personalized treatment plan for your child that will prove to be the most beneficial for his/her specific case. 
If our doctors feel strongly we should consider phase 1 to prevent significant future problems such as permanent tooth extractions or oral surgery procedures, we will recommend phase 1 treatment. We have found that effective early treatment has helped many or our patients avoid these difficult, painful, and costly procedures. 

At Bountiful Orthodontics we are comfortable with multiple phase I treatment options. Rest assured we will propose a specific treatment that is tailored to your child and their specific orthodontic needs. Phase I treatment options include, but are not limited to: rapid palatal expanders, degainer therapy, or primary tooth extraction(s).

If your child does not require phase I treatment we will happily place him/her on our observation schedule so we can monitor growth and permanent tooth eruption. Our goal is to be as effective and efficient as possible in recommending and rendering orthodontic treatment. If we feel strongly two phases are necessary we will recommend phase I. If, however, we feel confident we can properly treat in one comprehensive treatment, we will recommend observation and delay treatment until he/she is in permanent dentition.