Standard of Care is that all children have their 1st Orthodontic Examination no later than their 7th birthday. This examination is free, and allows the Orthodontist to determine the presence or (hopefully) absence of developmental anomalies and/or malocclusion (bad bite). The Orthodontist can then determine the advisability of early treatment, observation until later, or no treatment at all. For example, children with a narrow upper jaw would benefit from early jaw development with a Haas Expansion Appliance to widen the upper jaw to match the lower, improve the airway, eliminate lower jaw shift, improve occlusion (reducing time and cost of braces), and reducing the risk of impaction of the permanent canines.
Premature loss of a baby tooth requires placement of a space maintainer, such as this upper jaw Nance Holding Arch, to prevent shifting of the other teeth with blockage of the normal eruption paths of the underlying permanent teeth.
