A Surrey Orthodontist Explains the Best Age to Get Braces

SURREY, British Columbia - Oct. 31, 2016 - PRLog -- As your kids get older, you may start wondering about braces.

How old do your kids need to be, and is there an ideal age?

Orthodontist Dr. Aly Kanani recommends that parents bring their children to see an Orthodontist by age 7. That's the age where a majority of children's bite issues, such as underbites, overbites and severe crowding, can be corrected more easily.

Dr. Kanani says that there is a window between the ages of 7 to 10 while the jaw is still growing that certain problems may be corrected with ease. The Orthodontist calls this "early intervention" or Phase I treatment.

Phase I and Phase II Treatment

The Orthodontist adds that while Phase I treatment can repair common bite issues in young children, it is not intended to replace braces, which is considered Phase II treatment. Phase I treatment can make Phase II treatment easier, however.

Phase I covers the skeletal corrections that need to be made, while braces can make the more refined corrections that complete the job. Phase I treatment can also decrease the need to extract teeth and may eliminate the need for corrective surgery in the future. Adult teeth also tend to come in straighter after Phase I is complete.

Between Phase I and Phase II, a child may be required to wear a retainer or what is called a space retainer to maintain bite progress. During this time, the child will make regular orthodontist visits so that the jaw and tooth development can be monitored.

Dr. Kanani offers yet another advantage of getting braces at a young age.

He says, "The child will still be young when the braces come off. This is opposed to waiting and your child having to wear braces in high school when the desire to fit in and bullying are more rampant."

Most orthodontists will recommend that parents bring their child to see an orthodontist between the ages of 7 to 14, even if they think their child won't need treatment. As the child's teeth and jaw bones continue to develop, some issues can take time to manifest, and may not be visible to the casual observer.

Even if the child doesn't get braces at a young age, a thorough examination by a qualified orthodontist can identify potential bite problems, allowing parents to budget for the future.

"On average, a person will wear braces for 1 to 3 years. And the fact is, anyone 7 or over can be fitted for braces. But the younger you start, the sooner you'll have them off."

About Dr. Kanani: Dr. Aly Kanani is a Orthodontics Specialist who, along with his team, has treated over 25,000 patients, 3,000 of them treated with Invisalign. Dr. Kanani is known for his extensive experience with both Invisalign and Invisalign Teen. To learn more, visit (http://www.guildfordorthodontics.com/site/surrey-orthodon...).