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The timing of orthodontic treatment is an important issue that can make your treatment either rewarding and enjoyable or prolonged and tedious. Drs. Cooper & Chockley’s specialty training is focused on both early treatment (before all the permanent teeth are present) as well as later treatment (when all the permanent teeth are present).
In our practice, we generally recommend that most young patients delay treatment until all of their permanent teeth are present. For most children, this occurs around the age of 11 or 12. Treatment beginning during this timeframe will usually take 18-24 months to complete, instead of 3-4 years or more.
Benefits of Waiting
- Decreased time in braces, which is healthier for the teeth
- Fewer orthodontic appointments, which means less missed school and work
- Increased treatment effectiveness, because bone growth is occurring more rapidly during adolescent years
- Better understanding and cooperation when children are older
- Less costly treatment than prolonged, two-phase treatment
- More stable results
There are some orthodontic conditions that do warrant a brief period of early treatment.
Conditions Warranting Early Treatment
- Crossbites (when the top teeth are inside the bottom teeth), which may cause unnatural wear on new permanent
teeth and stress on the jaw
- Severe jaw imbalance
- Space maintenance for the early loss of a primary tooth
- Excessive crowding causing damage to teeth, jaws or gums
- Airway problems
- Cosmetic problems that affect a child’s self esteem
Benefits of Early Treatment
- Guiding the growth of the lower jaw
- Regulating the width of the upper and lower arches
- Correcting harmful oral habits, such as thumb sucking
- Reducing the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth
- Preserving or making space for permanent teeth that are erupting
- Reducing or eliminating abnormal swallowing or speech problems
- Improving personal appearance and self-esteem
With early treatment, full braces will typically still be needed when all the teeth erupt.
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