We recommend that children have their first orthodontic screening at age
7 as recommended by American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). In its
recommendation, AAO stated that for those patients who have clear indications
for early intervention, early treatment presents the opportunity to:
• Influence jaw growth in a positive manner
• Harmonize width of dental arches
• Improve eruption patterns
• Lower risk of trauma to protruded upper incisors
• Correct harmful oral habits
• Improve aesthetics and self-esteem
• Simplify and/or shorten treatment time for later corrective orthodontics
• Reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth
• Improve some speech problems
• Preserve or gain space for erupting permanent teeth
Most common age of treatment
Most patients will have all their permanent teeth by age 12 and orthodontic
treatment could start between ages of 10 to 12.
