Childhood and adolescence is still the most common time for treatment with braces. Orthodontic treatment usually begins in the early teens, but preventative orthodontics may be started as early as age seven. A child’s dentist will be on alert for signs of problems with alignment and will refer the child to an orthodontist if necessary.
The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that children see an orthodontist at age seven. Not every malocclusion is obvious, so this preventative visit can catch problems in their early stages. Preventative treatment while very young may prevent or assist orthodontics later. A visit to the orthodontist is especially important for children with:
crowded teeth
finger or thumb sucking habits
obvious alignment problems
Treatment with braces generally begins at age 11, 12, or 13, but a functional appliance can be used at a much younger age. In some cases, it is desirable to begin orthodontic treatment before the "baby molars"--the second primary molars--fall out. Second primary molars are the only baby teeth that are larger than the adult bicuspids. When second primary molars fall out, the braces can prevent the back molars from migrating forward and crowding the front teeth. This approach also may prevent the need for tooth extraction later on.
Adults of any age, even the elderly, can safely wear braces, as long as their teeth and gums are healthy. Some of the conditions that respond well to adult orthodontics include:
an open bite: only a few of the teeth in the upper and lower jaws touch.
a vertical overbite: upper front teeth excessively overlap the lower front teeth.
a horizontal overjet: upper teeth stick far out beyond the lower teeth.
an underbite: lower teeth protrude beyond the upper teeth.
TMJ Dysfunctional Syndrome: misalignment sometimes causes problems with the temporomandibular joint--the lower jaw's hinge. This causes difficulties with chewing, swallowing, and talking.
Crowding or crooked teeth
|
