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Youth and Adolescent Treatment

When is the best age to treat?

We treat children of all ages. However, we strongly believe in preventing problems before they occur. We recommend that a child be seen by age 7 to determine whether they have any immediate treatment needs.

If you are not certain whether your child needs orthodontic treatment, ask your child's dentist, or contact our office. We would be more than happy to answer any and all questions you might have.

What are the benefits of early treatment?

1) There are conditions which are best treated early in order to take advantage of a child's natural growth pattern. Large overbites, underbites, or crossbites are best treated while the child is still growing.

2) Having straight teeth at an early age helps a child develop self-esteem and self-confidence.

3) Correcting teeth which stick out will reduce the risk of injury.

4) Correcting rotated teeth makes them easier to clean and reduces the risk of tooth decay.

Seven warning signs in 7-year-olds*

An orthodontist answers the following questions when making a first evaluation. These answers are based on visual observation of the mouth and teeth. When you know what to look for, you can answer these questions, too.

Seek treatment earlier than age seven if your child has:

* difficulty chewing.
* open-mouth breathing.
* thumb or finger sucking.
* overlapping or crowding of erupting permanent teeth.

* jaws that click or pop.
* biting of the cheek or into the roof of the mouth.
* speech problems.
* grinding or wearing down of teeth.
* obvious abnormal bite development of any kind.

1. Do the upper teeth protrude?

Excessive protrusion of the upper front teeth – "buck teeth"– is by far the most common orthodontic problem.

2. Is there a deep bite?
The upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth too much.

3. Is there an underbite?
The upper teeth fit inside the arch of the lower teeth.

4. Is there an open bite?
The child can stick his or her tongue between the upper and lower front teeth when the back teeth are together.

5. Is there too little or too much room for the teeth?
Crowded or overlapped teeth...

...or noticeably large gaps between teeth.

6. Do the front teeth line up?
The spaces between the two upper front teeth and the two lower front teeth should line up with each other and both should line up with the bridge of the nose. When they do not, the probable cause is drifted teeth or a shifted lower jaw, resulting in an improper bite.

7. Is there a crossbite?
The upper back teeth fit inside, rather than outside of the lowers.

*Original guide is available from the California Association of Orthodontists

Chong Orthodontics

Drs. Leonard and Scott Chong