You may have noticed that kids seem to be getting braces and other orthodontic care a lot earlier these days. There was a time, only a decade or two ago when braces were mainly seen on teenagers, but that is beginning to change. If you’re wondering when to bring your child to our Granite Bay or Auburn office for an orthodontic evaluation, the answer actually has several parts.

The Telltale Signs

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. Marina Milstein, regardless of age.

The Dental Age

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. It is part of Dr. Marina Milstein and our staff’s job to determine the dental age and then make appropriate recommendations for the resolution of orthodontic issues if they are emerging.

The Official Recommended Age

The American Association of Orthodontists officially recommends that children see an orthodontist for the first time between the ages of seven and nine. Even if the child does not have all his or her permanent teeth, an orthodontist can usually predict the teeth’s growth pattern quite effectively.

Call Our Orthodontic Office Today

This allows for a proactive response to emerging problems, and this is why some younger children are now getting orthodontic devices earlier in life. If a young child has serious orthodontic issues emerging, Dr. Marina Milstein can usually address them immediately and then follow up with another round of treatment when the child has all the adult teeth. Contact our office today to schedule your complimentary consultation today!