The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children see an orthodontist for the first time at age seven. In rare cases, your general dentist may note concerns that warrant a visit sooner than this, but these are less typical. In most children at this age, Drs. Crawford and Johnson will be able to begin to identify the types of orthodontic correction they may or may not need, but often that treatment can be postponed until they're a little bit older.

Your child’s first trip to our Hilliard orthodontic office is extremely valuable, however! This visit helps your child build confidence and trust in our office, and it can go a long way to ensure that their orthodontic experience is a fun and enjoyable one. And in select cases, we may be able to identify problems that can be most successfully corrected if addressed right away.

Early Orthodontic Treatment

Some parents are surprised to learn that their eight- or nine-year-old is already ready for braces. The type of treatment that is warranted at this age, however, differs slightly from the traditional full braces that are commonly worn around age 11 or 12 (Phase2). In younger children, our goal is to ensure that growth and development is occurring as it should and that nothing inhibits the normal growth of the jawbones or eruption of the teeth. The goal of early treatment is not to place every tooth in its final position, but rather to position the teeth so that the face, jaws, and teeth can continue to grow and develop as they should throughout the rest of childhood and adolescence.

For example, children who have severe crowding that inhibits eruption of permanent teeth, children who have crossbites of the front or back teeth, and children who have lost a baby tooth earlier than intended may all benefit from early intervention with orthodontics.

Phase 2

In Phase 2, we begin to work towards positioning the teeth in the final aesthetic and functional positions that we desire. It is after this phase that we look forward to seeing the big beautiful smile that your child will enjoy for the rest of his or her life!

Why choose Scioto Orthodontics for your child’s treatment?

When it comes to orthodontic care for children, we take our time to get to know our patients before beginning treatment. For a young patient with anxiety, our first couple of visits will likely involve mostly conversation with lots of opportunities to look at examples and ask questions. We always make a point of communicating directly with the child so that they feel like they are engaging in treatment rather than being subjected to it, and that they're part of the team. We explain each step of the process along the way, so there should be no surprises. We find that when we take the time to let children build confidence in us before moving forward, their visits can be fun and something that they look forward to!