For Children

Orthodontics for Children

While there is no exact age for children to begin orthodontic treatment, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends visiting the orthodontist around age seven. By this age, most children have developed enough that Dr. Thomas can diagnose tooth and jaw problems.

Here are a few things to look for that may mean your child needs to see an orthodontist:

Early or late loss of baby teeth
A hard time chewing or biting food
Mouth breathing
Finger or thumb sucking
Crowded, misplaced, or blocked teeth
Jaws that pop or make sounds when opening and closing
Teeth that come together abnormally, or do not come together at all
Jaws and teeth that are not proportionate to the rest of the face
Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight

Observation

If your child does not need early treatment, and they are not ready for comprehensive treatment, we will continue to monitor their development every six months to a year so that if intervention or early treatment become necessary, we can address problems sooner.

Early treatment

Dr. Thomas does his best to avoid early treatment, but in some cases it is needed. He is happy to explain why he is recommending early treatment instead of waiting for comprehensive treatment.

If early treatment is needed, it can help:

Expand a narrow upper jaw
Correct a crossbite
Create space for impacted teeth to erupt

Please call our office at (630) 554-5600 to schedule a complimentary consultation appointment with Dr. Thomas.