Early Treatment

Early orthodontic treatment is very controversial in this country and the rest of the world. Dr. Scott believes that early orthodontic treatment is necessary when there is a very severe skeletal or functional problem in existence. A functional problem is one that can cause the jaw to shift as the teeth move into their functional positions. Functional problems can be detrimental to temporomandibular joint health and also detrimental to facial growth in younger children. In these cases Dr. Scott will always recommend early intervention. The treatment timing for these problems usually occur between the ages 7-11.

Philosophically, however, Dr. Scott feels that the most efficient way to manage patients is to treat them in the late mixed dentition, which is between 11 and 13 years of age. 70 to 80% of all orthodontic cases fall into this category. This has been proven by research done by representatives of the American Association of Orthodontists. At this age, children can be treated with braces and dental facial growth modification appliances which will straighten their teeth and work in combination with their pubertal growth changes to produce facial skeletal growth. By virtue of treating most children at this age, there are several advantages. It is less time consuming for patients and parents. It is also less expensive compared to 2 distinct phases of treatment. We are more than happy to discuss these orthodontic treatment philosophies concerning early as opposed to optimal treatment times.