Having straight, clean teeth can do wonders for one’s self-confidence, as well as their oral health. Properly aligned teeth are easier to keep clean and prevent some serious issues that can result from misaligned teeth and jaws. As such, the question of when is the best time to get orthodontic treatment is one of the most common questions orthodontists get. While there is an ideal age for orthodontic treatment, people of any age can get orthodontic treatment – including those in their 70’s or older!
Here’s what you need to know about the best time to get orthodontic treatment and what orthodontic treatment entails throughout your life.
The Ideal Age For Orthodontic Treatment
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children be evaluated for orthodontic treatment no later than the age of 7. This is because early orthodontic treatment makes it easier to prevent serious problems from developing and makes the entire treatment process easier and shorter as a whole. This is because when you’re young, before you get all of your permanent teeth, your teeth and jaw are still developing. This makes it so that many think the best time to get orthodontic treatment is early on in life.
When children get orthodontic treatment, it’s possible for your orthodontic to be able to correct any harmful orthodontic habits before they get the chance to impact your child’s permanent teeth, improve your child’s oral health and dental appearance, fix alignment issues, improve your child’s bite, help to guide the growth of the jaw, and reduce the risk of trauma to your child’s teeth.
The best time to get orthodontic treatment is often considered young like this because there are cases where it’s possible for your orthodontist to be able to achieve results with your child’s smile that would not be possible with adult orthodontic treatment, at least, not without intensive surgery.
Orthodontic Treatment As A Teen/Child
While the younger the better to make the orthodontic process easier and shorter, the best time to get orthodontic treatment is whenever you have orthodontic problems. When it comes to braces, it’s considered the ideal time is between the ages of 10 and 14. This is because it’s easier to straighten teeth when your jaw is still growing and your permanent teeth are still coming in. There are cases, however, when orthodontic treatment as a teen or a child can be traumatic, which is why it’s best to thoroughly discuss the matter with your child and your orthodontist.
In some cases, your orthodontist may decide that 2-phase orthodontic treatment is best. This is when, as the name implies, your child undergoes two phases of orthodontic treatment. The first is used to help with more major problems and the second with alignment. This is most commonly recommended in cases where your child has more severe orthodontic issues and it would be less traumatic to split treatment into two phases.
Another reason why the younger years are considered the best time to get orthodontic treatment is because when you have straight teeth, it improves how you talk, how you bite, how you breath, and more. Orthodontic treatment can not only address the way your teeth look, but also your overall health and wellbeing.
Adult Orthodontic Treatment
Although most people presume that orthodontic treatment is restricted to children and teenagers, this isn’t the case. Adult orthodontic treatment is entirely possible; it can just take longer, due to the fact that your body has finished developing. The best time to get orthodontic treatment is whenever you need it, which means that if you need adult orthodontic treatment, that’s the best time for you to get it.
It is not uncommon for people’s teeth to shift as they get older. This can mean that even if you had straight teeth growing up, as you age, they can become crooked. Many adults are self-conscious about traditional metal braces, however, there are many different orthodontic treatment options available, such as clear aligners, lingual braces – which are done behind your teeth, ceramic braces, and more.
When Is The Best Time To Get Orthodontic Treatment?
When you need it! Mountain View Dental offers orthodontic treatments for people of all ages. Whether you are taking your child in for their first orthodontic evaluation to get braces or whether you are an adult who is interested in ClearCorrect to straighten those pearly whites, we can help you. In order to obtain an orthodontic evaluation or consultation, contact our office today!
