When is the right time for my child's first orthodontic check-up?

The American Association of Orthodontist recommends all children get a check-up with an orthodontist no later than age 7. There are many reasons why this should be done even if the child is not ready for braces. It is important to spot any problems with jaw growth and emerging adult teeth while the baby teeth are still present. This often can be done with a simple x-ray and examination. Sometimes baby teeth will not fall out on their own due to the adult teeth being impacted or limited space available. This is often seen with maxillary canines. Many times this goes undetected and is first see by an orthodontist when the patient is already a teenager. The orthodontic treatment becomes more involved in this case and may have been prevented had the problem been diagnosed at an early age. Although I am not one to rush into placing braces at a young age, there are several problems that should be addressed early on. These problems include: anterior and posterior cross-bites, thumb sucking habits and skeletal growth issues. Also when a child has severely protruded anterior teeth, treatment is often recommended to lower the risk of trauma to these teeth. Also some orthodontic problems can cause severe emotional or psychological distress to a young person. In these cases limited treatment might be recommended to help ease their stress.