Braces - How Early is Too Early?

There have been more than a few times when I suggest braces to a parent of a young child and they seem surprised. How early is too early to get braces? This is a great question to ask and one that many parents should get the answer to. Honestly, a child can get braces as early as 6 years old if they have crowding of the teeth. It's important to start a child on a two phase orthodontic treatment to help ensure that their jaw and teeth align correctly as they age. Here's a quote from an older blog post of mine:

It's best for the orthodontist to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required and the best time for that patient to be treated. The first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in by that time and crossbites, crowding and other problems can be evaluated. When treatment is begun early, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early treatment can simplify later treatment.