Kids Under 10

The New Zealand Association of Orthodontists recommends giving kids their first orthodontic exam and screening at age 7 or 8, which is usually the age when first molars and incisors grow.

At this initial consultation we will examine your child’s mouth and suggest a tailored strategy for their care. This will likely include a recommendation on whether to:

  • Monitor their growth and do a follow-up after a certain number of months / years; or

  • Consider early intervention orthodontic treatment.

Rather than focusing on straightening adult teeth, the main focus of early intervention (if needed) is to ensure there is enough room for the adult teeth to come through and that the upper and lower jaw are in correct alignment. In most cases, our younger patients can wait until they reach their teenage years to have orthodontic treatment. However, certain orthodontic problems should be addressed at an early stage to avoid alignment issues later in life and to facilitate or prevent orthodontic treatment in the future — and our dental council certified orthodontists are here to help.

Your child might need early orthodontic treatment if they have:

  • Tooth growth problems;

  • Extra or missing teeth (sometimes in locations impossible for a parent to detect);

  • Impacted teeth;

  • Excessive overbite;

  • Anterior crossbite (one or more upper front teeth biting behind lower teeth);

  • Posterior crossbite (upper molars biting inside lower molars);

  • Excessive protrusion of incisors (overjet);

  • Excessive crowding or spacing;

  • Habits (thumb sucking); and

  • Underbite (lower jaw overgrowing the upper jaw).

The evidence based early interceptive orthodontic treatment options for kids which our orthodontists utilise to treat these issues include:

  • Space maintainers to prevent loss of space after a primary tooth is lost or removed prematurely;

  • Partial braces to move teeth out of harms way;

  • Strategic extraction of baby teeth;

  • Growth modification using functional appliances;

  • Palatal expanders – an appliance that corrects cross bites and narrow arches by expanding the upper jaw.

  • Twin Blocks – a removable appliance that guides teeth and jaw growth;

  • Removable plates – a removable appliance that prevents future orthodontic problems by changing the position of the teeth and/or widening the upper jaw; and

  • Habit appliances to stop thumb sucking or other oral habits.

Our certified orthodontists have the expertise and training to identify and treat the simplest or most complex of issues.  After consulting with one of our orthodontists you will understand any orthodontic issue your child has or may develop in the future (if any), and the evidence based solutions available to address them. As a result, you will be empowered to choose the best treatment for your child in the short, medium and long term. Including deciding whether early intervention is the right thing for you.