Start Earlier Than You’d Think
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child have a first orthodontic check-up by age 7. That surprises most parents, and it’s worth explaining why: by seven, the first permanent molars and front teeth have usually come in. That’s the earliest point where we can see how the bite is coming together and how the jaw is growing — while there’s still time to guide it.
Most children we see at this age don’t need treatment yet. That’s the point. The visit tells us whether your child is one of the few who benefits from starting early, or one of the many who just needs checking on now and then.
What Brings Parents In
Crooked front teeth are the reason most families call. They’re not the only reason worth calling.
Snoring or breathing through the mouth. Especially at night. A narrow upper jaw can restrict the airway, and it’s something we can see.
Thumb-sucking or a pacifier past about age five. Steady pressure over years changes how the front teeth and the roof of the mouth develop.
Trouble chewing, or always chewing on one side. Often a sign the bite isn’t meeting evenly.
Speech that hasn’t cleared up. Some sounds are hard to make when the teeth or tongue don’t have room to sit correctly.
Baby teeth lost very early — or still hanging on. Both can send permanent teeth into the wrong place.
A jaw that shifts, clicks, or slides to one side when your child bites down.
Front teeth that stick out noticeably. Beyond appearance, they’re much more likely to get chipped or knocked in a fall or a collision on the field.
Crowding you can already see in a mouth that still has baby teeth in it.
If any of this sounds like your child, that’s worth a look. If none of it does, a check-up is still the cheapest way to stop wondering.
Why the Timing Matters
A seven-year-old’s jaw is still growing. That’s the whole advantage.
While the bones are still developing, we can influence how they grow — widening a narrow upper jaw, making room for teeth that don’t have any, guiding a tooth that’s heading in the wrong direction, or stopping a habit before it does more. Once growth finishes, those same problems still have solutions, but the solutions get bigger. Waiting can mean removing permanent teeth later, or in the more serious cases, surgery.
Starting early doesn’t mean braces at seven. In most cases it means one of two things: a short, focused first phase with a specific job to do, or simply seeing your child once a year until the right moment arrives.
What Dr. Shafagh Can Do Early
Ortho Planet offers early (Phase 1) treatment when it’s called for, including:
Expanders — to widen a narrow upper jaw and create room
Space maintainers — to hold a gap open when a baby tooth is lost too soon
Habit appliances — to help a child stop thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting
Partial braces — to move a small number of teeth that need it now rather than later
If your child needs none of these, we’ll say so plainly.
Free Annual iTero Scans
Kids change fast, and a year is a long time to go on memory.
Every patient who consults with us and continues into treatment gets a complimentary iTero scan each year. It’s a handheld digital scanner — no impression trays, no goop, and no radiation. It takes a few minutes and builds a 3D model of your child’s teeth.
Because we keep every scan, we can put this year’s next to last year’s and show you exactly what has moved. You see the progress yourself instead of taking our word for it.
X-rays and panoramic images are still taken when they’re clinically needed — the scan doesn’t replace them. It just doesn’t require any radiation of its own.
Not Sure Whether It’s Time?
That’s exactly what a consultation is for, and it’s free. Text or call (747) 295-6404 and we’ll find a time that works.