It is not necessary to delay
orthodontic evaluation for a child until all the permanent teeth come in. In fact, according to the current recommendation from orthodontists, all children should have an
orthodontic evaluation by age 7. Seven years old is the target because at that age, children's mouths contain a mixture of permanent teeth and baby teeth. This makes it possible for an orthodontist to assess the child's oral health and identify potential problems.
Sometimes no treatment is necessary at all. In many cases, the orthodontist may defer treatment until a child is older, and all the permanent teeth have come in. However, there are also cases in which early intervention may be helpful. Early
orthodontic intervention is defined as treatment that begins before all of a child's baby teeth have been lost.
Many, though not all, of the conditions early intervention effectively treats are forms of malocclusion, i.e., abnormalities of the bite.