What is the earliest age for children to get braces?

Doctor's Answer

It depends. If you are concerned about tooth alignment, bring your child to the regular dentist. The youngest they can do this is probably around 7-8 years of age but it depends.

There are only really 2 cases that should be treated as early as possible. One is when there is an underbite, which is when the lower set of teeth is in front of the upper. The second is when the front teeth, which is usually angling forward, is facing backwards. For those situations, it affects how the jaw will close.

Other grey areas are ‘bugs bunny’ teeth or if they have injuries during sports activities. In other countries, the bunny tooth is a criterion for accepting a child for state-funded treatment. It will be a good idea to start treatment earlier to prevent jaw surgery.

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