The first few years of a child’s life are some of the most important, for many reasons. These are usually the crucial years in terms of learning the basics, like potty training, walking, talking and good oral hygiene. Dr. Rebecca Doucet, an orthodontist at Village Orthodontics in Mississauga, says that teaching your child good habits when it comes to oral hygiene can be the key to preventing any future need for orthodontic treatment.

At Village Orthodontics, about 70% of their clientele consists of children. Doucet suggests that all children should get their first orthodontic evaluation around the age of seven. This is also according to the American Association of Orthodontics. 

“One of the reasons for that,” she says, “is that at the age of about seven, children’s permanent teeth start erupting.” When children begin to get their permanent teeth, that’s around the time when orthodontic problems usually become visible. It may also be the best time for some damage control.

The advantage of taking your child to see an orthodontist as early as possible involves what Doucet calls “interceptive orthodontics,” which are basically methods that assist in allowing the correct growth of permanent teeth. 

Interceptive orthodontics are not always necessary, but Doucet says that in cases where the problem can “inhibit or affect growth in a negative way, or when growth is occurring in a less than ideal situation — it is sometimes beneficial for us [orthodontists] to step in and encourage the growth to happen in a more favourable direction.” 

Disproportionate jaw size is one scenario in which it may be in a child’s best interest to see an orthodontist. “We can make an appliance to make a smaller, lower jaw ‘catch up’ with the upper jaw,” says Doucet. “Other situations, like a child who has severe crowding, would require our assistance.” 

In such situations, some baby teeth may be removed in order to make room for the adult teeth.

Although you may not see any visible problems, it is still advised that children be taken to get an orthodontic evaluation. This usually involves routine procedures like X-rays, so that a course of treatment can be evaluated for a child with orthodontic needs.

There may also be no problems whatsoever, but that may be just the kind of news you want to hear from a professional’s perspective. Whatever the issue may be, Doucet says, “We have a zillion tricks in our bag to help teeth come out in the proper spot.” 

They can even help with stopping a child’s thumb-sucking habits, which Doucet says can cause numerous problems such as deforming a child’s upper dental arch, or creating a crossbite or an open bite. That’s something allzvvv parents will surely appreciate! •