It is common to ask yourself at what age you can start putting braces on children and start orthodontic treatment for your children. This will depend on the clinical situation of each patient. It is essential to have the first orthodontic check-up at around 6 years of age, as recommended by various scientific societies such as the American Orthodontic Society.
The first visit to the orthodontist is recommended at 6 years of age.
Although it may seem surprising, it is advisable to have your first visit to the orthodontist from the age of 6, since at that age not all the baby teeth have fallen out yet. This first check-up is very important, since orthodontics not only takes care of placing the teeth in their correct position, but also treats and prevents growth alterations in the maxillary bones.
Orthodontics is much more than braces. A timely checkup can prevent skeletal or tooth position problems.
Skeletal problems
These are anomalies between the size of the maxillary bone and the jaw. Some examples are a narrow palate, a small maxilla in relation to the mandible or a small mandible. These types of problems can only be corrected with orthopedic appliances while the patient is growing. This is known as interceptive orthodontics.
It is important that these problems are corrected while the child is growing, because if they are not corrected in time, growth will be asymmetrical.
If a skeletal problem is not detected in time and growth stops, the only alternative for its correction is maxillofacial surgery.
While children still have baby teeth, it is essential to ensure that their bone growth occurs properly. All habits that can cause malocclusions such as lip sucking, thumb sucking, persistent pacifier use or dysfunctional swallowing should also be eliminated.
Dysfunctional swallowing occurs when the tongue pushes the upper or side teeth while eating. This can cause alterations in occlusion and sometimes also in the pronunciation of certain phonemes.
Tooth position problems
In cases where the teeth are in an incorrect position, clear aligners or brackets can be used for correction. This is to arrange the teeth in the proper position with respect to the bone and thus facilitate their correct function.
The age at which this type of treatment is usually started is around 11 years old, depending on the growth of your child’s permanent teeth. Normally, braces are used once the baby teeth have fallen out and the permanent teeth have erupted.
However, each case should be studied on a case-by-case basis, as there may be times when it is necessary to begin braces treatment before that age. It is also possible to start braces treatment from 11 years of age onwards, but if, for example, the occlusion is not correct and we do not start the treatment in time, other problems can be triggered.
Sometimes, an incorrect bite can wear down the teeth and lead to recession, i.e. gum loss. Both cases are irreversible and cannot be recovered in a natural way. Once the tooth has worn down, the original anatomy of that tooth would have to be restored with reconstructions and, to improve the gum level, we would have to resort to a graft.
So when are braces usually placed in children?
Braces are usually placed around the age of 11, when the permanent teeth have erupted, but it depends on the situation of each patient. However, the first consultation with the orthodontist is recommended at around 6 years of age.
In conclusion, early assessment by the orthodontist is essential to determine whether or not it is necessary to start orthodontic treatment and at what age it is best to begin. Don’t forget that orthodontics equals prevention.