The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child get his or her first orthodontic screening at the age of seven. At this age, a child's first molars have typically started to emerge. This allows Dr. Kattner the earliest chance to get a basic grasp on the alignment of the teeth from front-to-back and side-to-side, as well as be able to tell if the mouth will be able to accommodate all of the permanent teeth.
 
It's important to note that this early screening doesn't necessarily mean treatment is necessary if there's an orthodontic concern. In many cases, Dr. Kattner and his team will simply monitor your child's dental development and growth patterns until we find the most opportune time to begin orthodontic treatment. This allows Kattner Orthodontics to achieve the best possible smile for your child.

Anyone can pick up a bad habit, but some bad habits can actually be a detriment to a child's dental development and function of the teeth, jaws, and mouth. With the usage of early orthodontic treatment, we can help curb these habits and prevent any permanent damage from being done. Some of these habits we can to correct with early orthodontic treatment include:

Thumb sucking - This is a natural reflex in many children that usually goes away between the ages of two and four. If this habit persists, the thumb will apply force over a period of time to the upper jaw and front teeth, possibly causing the jaws to change shape and the teeth to drift apart. This can impair speech and lead to an open bite, a condition that exists when there's a gap between the upper and lower teeth when biting down.