One of the questions we’re often asked by parents and guardians is "When should my child see an orthodontist"? Braces are often associated with teens and increasingly with adult teeth straightening so you might be surprised to hear that children as young as seven can benefit from early orthodontic treatment.
However, not every seven-year-old should automatically rush to see an orthodontist. However, it is very important for them to attend regular check-ups with their dentist. As well as keeping an eye on the health of your child’s teeth, your dentist will look out for any problems that might benefit from early orthodontic intervention.
If your dentist has any orthodontic concerns about your child's teeth, they will refer you to see an orthodontist for an NHS assessment. NHS assessments are free of charge and during the appointment the orthodontist will assess your child’s smile to see 1) if they require orthodontic treatment and 2) if they are eligible for NHS care. This is done using a scoring system called the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IoTN)
We don't offer children's NHS Orthodontics here at HRS Dental Care. Instead, we focus on treating children who have complex orthodontic challenges or have been refused treatment after an NHS assessment according to the NHS IoTN scale. This is private orthodontic treatment and costs for this are NOT covered by the NHS.
We also treat children who have met the criteria for NHS treatment but are faced with a long wait for treatment, want a choice of brace solution or simply prefer to see a specialist orthodontist of their choosing.
Some problems can be treated much more efficiently at a younger age. As we get older our jaw bone stops growing and hardens and so orthodontic treatment, while still possible, becomes slightly more difficult.
If treatment begins at a young age we have ability to guide the growth of the jaw bone and change the position and width of the jaw bones. This unfortunately isn’t possible for adults and alternative solutions can involve surgery or the removal of teeth.
If treatment is carried out while the adult teeth are emerging we can also help to make sure there is enough space and they come through in the correct position.
