The goal of Early Interceptive Treatment is to help the jaw develop in a way that will accommodate all of the permanent teeth and improve the way the upper and lower jaws fit together. Children often exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop. An upper jaw that is growing too much or is too narrow can be recognized at an early age. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic exam at the age of 7. If children over the age of six are found to have this jaw discrepancy, they are candidates for early orthodontic treatment. Also, if children around the age of eight have crowded front teeth, early treatment can prevent the need to extract permanent teeth later.

Children benefit tremendously from early phase treatment. Receiving early treatment may prevent the removal of permanent teeth later in life, or the need for surgical procedures to realign the jaws.

In some instances, no further treatment is needed. In other instances, a second phase of treatment will be recommended after all of the child’s adult teeth come in – around 12 years of age.