Early Treatment

Most orthodontic problems are best treated with conventional braces as soon as the last baby tooth has been shed. This usually occurs between the ages of 11-15 years.

However, early orthodontic treatment is effective and desirable in certain situations. Providing the child is old enough to accept treatment, the following orthodontic problems should be treated as soon as they are noticed:

• Posterior crossbite.
• Anterior crossbite.
• An extremely narrow upper dental arch.
• Inadequate growth and development of the midface.
• Severe crowding or tipping which prevents the normal eruption of adult teeth.
• Adult front teeth which are protruding excessively, and are therefore in danger of being hit or traumatized.
• An adult tooth which is erupting in the wrong direction.
• A front tooth having a very receeded gum line due to its unfavorable position in the arch.

Early treatment does not necessarily eliminate the need for further treatment, but it usually reduces the complexity of further treatment.

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