Since every patient is unique and tooth development varies from one individual to another, there is no specific age at which it is best to begin orthodontic treatment. However, when treatment is necessary, the timing of orthodontic treatment is extremely important and greatly affects the results. Simply waiting for a patient to grow out of a situation may be harmful by wasting precious time when growth can still be utilized to its fullest extent.

Facial harmony, proportions and individual features in both frontal and profile view need to be taken into consideration to arrive to the optimal final treatment result. Besides analyzing each arch individually for crowding or spacing, the orthodontist must also see how the jaws relate to each other.

Crossbites, underbites and overbites are some of the major jaw problems that must be addressed before individual growth is completed. Most of these bite problems will require additional corrective appliances besides full braces. Therefore, the majority of orthodontic patients in the U.S.A. are treated between the ages of ten and sixteen with mostly fixed appliances (braces, expanders, functional appliances) followed by removable or fixed retainers. The average full treatment case is generally between 18-26 months.

A word of caution:

• Keep in mind that most insurance companies have an age limitation (usually age nineteen). This means that you will lose the benefit if treatment is not started or completed by that age (check with your insurance company for age exclusions).
• As far as compliance and timing, it is best to be in braces when all other peers, friends and classmates undergo orthodontic treatment, and before college or work start adding more strain to our busy lives.