a girl with braces having icecream

Braces for Kids

Every week, we see at least one child for whom it is "too late." This child-usually 12 or older-is already too far along in his/her jaw and tooth growth for us to correct it without surgery. Simply put, his/her parents waited too long to bring him/her in.

Please don't let this happen to your child.

Rather than wait for his/her baby teeth to fall out (a popular misconception), we-along with The American Association of Orthodontists-recommend making the first appointment around age 7, when your child still has many baby teeth left. That way, we'll be able to diagnose and correct any tooth and jaw concerns easier-and without surgery.

For parents, that's not always easy or welcome news. Yet it's far tougher-and often impossible-to guide the growth of a jaw that's headed in the wrong direction, or of permanent teeth that are already in. Seeing your child at age 7 will help us to align the jaw and ensure those teeth grow in properly. It also helps us to correct thumb-sucking, improve speech issues, and avoid both surgery and permanent tooth extractions-now and later.

Come see us if your child is or has:

  • Baby tooth loss
  • Crowded front teeth
  • Difficulty biting or chewing food
  • Sucking on his/her finger or thumb
  • Crowded, misplaced, or "blocked" teeth
  • A jaw that "pops" upon opening and closing
  • Straight teeth, but a possibly misaligned jaw
  • Breathing through his/her mouth-not nose
  • Teeth that are misaligned-or do not come together at all
  • Jaws and teeth that are not proportionate to the rest of his/her face
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