Children and adolescents
Misaligned teeth and jaws can often be corrected more easily while they are still growing. Usually treatment begins once the child’s permanent posterior teeth start coming in. However, in some cases it may be the right choice to begin treatment earlier.
Early orthodontic treatment for children
Some jaw misalignments already become apparent once a child has their baby teeth. Some examples include an upper jaw that is too narrow (crossbite), an open bite (incisors do not meet when jaws are closed), anterior teeth that protrude too far over the lower jaw (overjet), or receding anterior teeth as a result of excessive lower jaw growth (reverse overjet). Early orthodontic interventions are usually carried out when the symptoms first become apparent, that is, in the early stages when a child still has both baby and adult teeth and their permanent incisors start coming in. The goal of these early interventions is to reduce trauma to the anterior teeth, which frequently occurs when the incisors protrude too much, or to allow for normal jaw growth when the lower jaw is misaligned due to crossbite.
When to perform orthodontic corrections
Most orthodontic treatments begin when the patient is between 8 and 10 years old. This is when adult teeth start emerging in the posterior tooth region. Orthodontic treatment is the most effective when done at this age, as the skull and jaw are still growing.
