Ask Dr. Ginsberg: At what age should my child begin orthodontic treatment?

The orthodontic community has been debating for some time about the best age for children to begin orthodontic treatment. Dr. Ginsberg, your experienced board certified Pennsylvania orthodontist, has been following the research surrounding the best age for orthodontic treatment. Today, Dr. Ginsberg would like to share a few of the important studies that were recently discussed in an interesting article about early orthodontic treatment.

In one 10-year study of 300 children that was conducted by the University of Florida, it was determined that "on average, early treatment produces the same results as later treatment. But again, the outcomes vary widely among children."

Smart Money magazine recently featured an article entitled “10 Things Your Orthodontist Won’t Tell You.” In this article, the number 5 thing is “Your child won’t die if he doesn’t get braces by age seven.”

At the practice of Gerald Ginsberg, DDS, we make it our priority to accurately inform patients about their treatment options. The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that your child be evaluated by age seven, as early detection of some orthodontic problems is important in order to take early corrective action and avoid more difficult treatment later. However, for many patients, Dr. Ginsberg recommends treatment during adolescence between the ages of 10-12.

To read more about these interesting studies on the best age to begin orthodontic treatment, visit the article. We also encourage you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ginsberg to assess what the best age is to begin your child's orthodontic treatment.