WHEN TO CONSIDER SEEING AN ORTHODONTIST?

The face, jaws and teeth grow from birth until adulthood.

Most growth and development happens in childhood and adolescence. However, changes do occur, as a result of aging, in adulthood.

It is recommended that a child see an orthodontist as early as 7 years of age, when the adult teeth are beginning to grow, to determine if there is a need for early orthodontic treatment.

Conventionally, most treatment is done in the early teenage years, when the permanent adult teeth (except the wisdom teeth) have grown into the mouth.

Some treatment is occasionally best left until most growth has stopped. For example, imbalanced jaw relationships that require orthognathic surgery, are usually only corrected in early adulthood.

Adults can also have orthodontic treatment as the teeth can still move!
Tooth movement may however be slower.

Some treatments require multi-disciplinary management between many doctors/specialties. For instance:

• Management of a patient with a Cleft Lip and Palate may require the cooperation of the Plastic Surgeon, the Speech Therapist, the Paediatric Dentist and others.
  
  
• Management of a patient with a jaw deformity/imbalance, may require combined surgical-orthodontic treatment, together with an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.