Children Wear Braces Earlier Than Ever

At Colombia Orthodontics, we are often asked why kids seem to be getting braces younger and younger. There was a time, only a decade or two ago, when braces were mainly seen on teenagers, but that is beginning to change.

If your child has a very crowded set of adult teeth coming in, or if the permanent front teeth came in very early, these are signs that your child should see Dr. Croft.

Barring signs of trouble or early adult teeth as mentioned above, the time that your child needs to be seen for initial orthodontic evaluation depends not so much upon your child’s actual age, but on what is known as a “dental age.”

The dental age of the patient might be entirely different from his or her actual chronological age; for example, an eight-year-old could have a dental age of 13. Dr. Croft will take the time to determine the dental age of your child and then make appropriate recommendations for the resolution of any orthodontic issues which might be emerging.

The American Association of Orthodontists officially recommends youth should see an orthodontist somewhere between the ages of seven and nine. Many teeth growth patterns can be predicted even if the child does not have all his or her permanent teeth.

Come in and see Dr. Croft if you have any question at all about your child’s teeth, regardless of what age he or she is.

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