At what age should I take my child in for an evaluation?
Deciding the appropriate time to take your child in for an orthodontic evaluation can be tricky. You may think that an evaluation is not necessary until your child is in middle or high school, but the reality is that most children need to be evaluated before their tenth birthday. It is important to keep in mind that your child’s chronological age and dental age may be very different numbers!
The American Dental Association recommends taking your child in for a consultation no later than seven years old. By the age of seven, most children’s six-year molars would have come in, as well as at least four of their permanent anterior teeth (two upper and two lower). With these teeth in place, Dr. Arash and Omid Rajaei at Sequence Orthodontics can give an accurate diagnosis, treatment plan, and time and cost estimate that will work best for you and your child.
On average, orthodontic treatments usually occur between the ages of 8 and 14 years old, but treatment cannot happen until a proper evaluation of your child’s teeth.
Regardless of your child’s age, there are some signs it is time for an orthodontic evaluation. If your child has:
• Very crowded adult teeth
• Permanent front teeth that came in early
• Issues aligning their jaw
• Other issues with their teeth you believe to be abnormal
You may think, “well, my child’s teeth are fine. We do not need to go through with orthodontic treatment…”
While this may be the case, it is still recommended that you take your child in for an evaluation. Even if you do not believe there is anything to be seen, Dr. Arash and Omid Rajaei at Sequence Orthodontics can more thoroughly evaluate and prevent issues that may pop up later. Additionally, the sooner you take your child in for treatment, that much more time is allowed for proactive measures with your child’s teeth.
Do not waste time deciding the treatment for your child’s teeth! Taking action sooner rather than later has proven to minimize the extensive treatment that would be necessary later in life. If you are in the Washington D.C. area, call Dr. Arash and Omid Rajaei at Sequence Orthodontics today and get started on the best course of treatment for your child’s beautiful smile.
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