If you have a child between the ages of 7 and 9 years, this information may be of use to you.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children have an orthodontic screening no later than age 7.



Why screen by age 7?

The teeth appearing at this age allow the Orthodontist to evaluate the occlusion, or "fit", of the upper and lower teeth as well as to detect any problems such as crowding of the teeth and negative oral habits (ie. thumb sucking).

For some, a timely screening will lead to significant treatment benefits. For most, the principal immediate benefit is a parent's peace of mind.

The benefits of early treatment

For those patients who have clear indications for early intervention, early treatment presents the opportunity to:

  • influence jaw growth in a positive manner
  • improve tooth eruption patterns and width of the upper and lower jaw
  • correct harmful oral habits (for example, thumb sucking)
  • improve self-esteem and appearance of the teeth
  • simplify and/or shorten treatment time for later orthodontics
  • improve some speech problems
  • preserve or gain space for erupting permanent teeth
At Icon Orthodontics, we practice preventative and interceptive Orthodontics , so we like to examine children by the age of 7. Usually no treatment will be needed at this time, but by making use of early interceptive methods, early evaluations can achieve the following:

  • help plan future treatment
  • make the patient comfortable
  • develop a relationship with the patient and caregiver
  • educate the patient/caregiver
  • eliminate or reduce extensive treatment in the future.