For kids, 7 to 12
A first orthodontic check around age 7, while the jaw is still growing. Most visits end with nothing to do but a check next year. Some bites are easier to guide now than to correct later.
Why a first check at 7
By about 7, the first adult molars and front teeth are coming in, so the way the jaws meet and the room for the teeth can already be read. A short exam shows whether there is anything to watch. A crossbite, a narrow upper jaw, a jaw growing too far forward or back, and habits like thumb sucking are easier to deal with while a child is still growing.
What can be guided while the jaw is growing
Early treatment only starts when waiting would make the problem harder to fix. Each of these has its own page.
Growth modification
Functional appliances, expanders and headgear-type appliances that guide how the upper and lower jaws grow.
How it worksHabit-breaking appliances
For thumb or finger sucking, tongue thrusting and mouth breathing that push the teeth and jaws out of shape.
How it works3D printed appliances
Expanders and plates printed from a digital scan of your child's own mouth. Made for one case only.
How it worksWhat happens after the first check
Often nothing, apart from a check each year while the adult teeth come in. When early treatment is needed, it is a first phase with an appliance, followed by a pause. If braces or aligners are still needed later, that second phase starts in the teenage years, and the early phase is there to make it simpler.
Day-to-day care
Day-to-day care instructions are shared privately with each patient, matched to their own treatment.
See whether your child needs anything yet
Send five photos on WhatsApp for a first look, or book a consultation directly.