7+ KIDS CLUB

Graff Ortho 7+ Kids Club

Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends an orthodontist examine children's teeth no later than age 7.

By age 7, enough permanent teeth have emerged to evaluate relationships between teeth, jaws,
and bite to allow an orthodontist to determine if everything will continue to develop normally.

• Premature loss or delayed loss of baby teeth
• Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
• Insufficient space for permanent teeth to erupt
• Teeth that meet abnormally (cross-bites), or don’t meet     
   at all (open-bites)
• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Thumb or finger sucking
• Improper tongue posture or position
• Difficulty speaking
• Biting of cheeks or roof of the mouth
• Jaws that appear too far forward or too far back

Identification of these problems at an early age while teeth are still developing and the jaw is still growing may make them easier to address. Even if your child’s baby teeth look straight, there may be underlying bite or spacing problems that are beneficial to identify early. 

Orthodontic treatment in young children is known as interceptive orthodontics or “Phase I” treatment.  The goal of Phase I orthodontic treatment is to normalize growth and development to prevent more severe issues from developing that will be much more difficult and time consuming to correct later. Most Phase I treatments usually require a Phase II treatment later on, but it may be shorter and less involved than if only one phase of comprehensive treatment were completed.