At what age is it appropriate for children to have orthodontic treatment?

When children are growing teeth, parents need to pay attention to relevant matters, especially when children are changing teeth, loose teeth should be removed in time. If children's teeth are found to be uneven during the growth process, they must be corrected in time, because children's teeth still have strong plasticity and can be corrected through various methods such as resin veneers. So, at what age is it most appropriate for children to correct their teeth?

At what age is it appropriate for children to have orthodontic treatment?

Teeth are like a "facade". If they grow unevenly, it will not only affect the appearance of the face, but sometimes also affect pronunciation. Therefore, when you discover that a child’s teeth are crooked, you should correct them as soon as possible, because the best age for orthodontic treatment is different for different types of teeth. So, what is the appropriate age for children to have orthodontic treatment?

Generally speaking, common maxillofacial deformities in children can be divided into two categories: dental deformities and skeletal deformities. Dental deformities are divided into general dental deformities and functional deformities. When children undergo orthodontic treatment, the doctor will tell them the best time based on the specific type of deformity.

1. General dental deformities

The best time for correction is the early permanent dentition (i.e. 12-13 years old), because children have just replaced their teeth and are in a period of rapid growth and development.

2. Functional malformation

Since it often occurs during the period of dentition (i.e. 6-12 years old), if correction is delayed, it may develop into bony deformity. Therefore, the best time for correction should be during the period of dentition, i.e. 6-12 years old.

3. Correction of bone deformity

This deformity should be corrected when children are in the early stages of their growth spurt (10-12 years for girls and 11-13 years for boys).

4. Crossbite of the front teeth, commonly known as "underbite"

This deformity has a relatively serious impact on the child's jaw development. Once it occurs, it should be corrected immediately, and the earliest correction can begin at around 3 and a half years old. It usually only takes 3-6 months to push out the primary upper front teeth that are biting on the inside of the mandibular teeth.

Therefore, deformed teeth should be corrected as early as possible, such as "underbite", severe deep overbite, deep overjet, supernumerary teeth, etc. These dental conditions will make dental deformities more and more serious and difficult to treat. When parents find that their children's teeth are not aligned properly or their face shape is abnormal, it is best to go to the hospital to consult a doctor in time so as not to miss the best age for correction.