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When you think about braces, do you see the embarrassed smiles of teenagers hiding metal brackets and wires? While many patients in that age group receive braces, it is actually more ideal to undergo orthodontic treatment at a younger age. Our orthodontist and team are pleased to offer orthodontic care for children to help young smiles grow healthy and strong.

Braces are most efficient when applied to teeth that are undergoing earlier stages of development. In fact, it’s recommended to have your child see an orthodontist by the time they turn seven years old. By this age, a child has received all of their primary teeth and are beginning to see their permanent teeth erupting. The mix of primary and adult teeth enables the orthodontist to predict developmental problems, and this is the most ideal time to begin taking steps to correct them.

Children as young as seven could experience a variety of developmental issues that require the need for orthodontic correction. Early treatment can prevent severe alignment issues later in life and ensure that the teeth and jaws can develop to be healthy and functional. If you delay treatment until the teenage years, crooked teeth and bad bites are harder to correct because the jaw bones have grown to be much stronger.

In fact, if our orthodontist begins guiding the growth of your child’s jaw and alignment of the permanent teeth at a young age, he may be able to avoid oral complications altogether so that your child doesn’t need to receive braces as a teen. We are committed to helping your child enjoy healthy, functional teeth for a lifetime.

If you would like to schedule your child’s consultation with Dr. John R. Schouten, contact Schouten Orthodontics at 801.491.9372 today and learn more about orthodontics for children in Springville, Utah.