When Should My Child See an Orthodontist

At Accorde Orthodontists, we’re proud to offer expert orthodontic treatment to the communities of Albertville, Champlin, Rogers, & Maple Grove, MN. We provide treatment for patients of all ages, including children needing early orthodontic treatment – but often, parents aren’t sure when to first bring their child for an orthodontic visit. So when should your child first see the orthodontist?

When Do Children Need to See the Orthodontist?

In keeping with the American Association of Orthodontists, we recommend that parents bring their children in for an initial consultation around age 7. Why this early age?

By age 6 or 7, the first set of adult molars have grown in. These teeth are critical to overall orthodontic development, and an orthodontist can predict much of a child’s future orthodontic alignment based on how these teeth grow in. When combined with a panoramic x-ray, we can determine whether or not your child needs early treatment right away, the potential problems that might develop in their smile, and when they’ll need orthodontic treatment in the future.

Keep in mind that we won’t always administer treatment at this early age. Usually, we’ll decide the best option is to monitor your child’s growth and wait for the ideal time to start treatment. However, some children benefit from orthodontic treatment between age 7 and 10. Treatment at this age is called early, or phase one, orthodontic treatment, and a second treatment in adolescence will almost always follow.

Schedule a Consultation with Your Rogers, MN Orthodontist

No matter what your child’s orthodontic situation, an evaluation at age 7 is vital to healthy orthodontic development. If you’d like to schedule a consultation for your child or for yourself, we’d love to help. Contact us today to learn more about the treatments we offer and schedule an evaluation. We can’t wait to hear from you!