When Should Children and Adolescents Consult?
Seven years old is the ideal age for a first consultation because this is when adult or permanent teeth appear in the mouth and certain anomalies, such as palatal constriction, can be corrected. With early treatment, proper guidance for jaw growth and permanent teeth development can be provided through what we call a first-phase (interceptive) procedure, thereby avoiding worse complications such as surgery in adulthood and/or future extraction of permanent teeth required for correcting a palate that is too narrow, creating space for new teeth to come, correcting bad habits such as thumb-sucking or atypical swallowing. In addition, if a second phase of treatment were to become necessary during teenage years, this follow-up treatment would be shorter and less complex.
We offer white brackets (3M Clarity), customizable devices, and coloured elastic and/or ligatures that can be changed during each appointment.
