The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that your child get an orthodontic check-up no later than age 7. By this age some orthodontic problems may be easier to intercept or correct if they are detected early. 

Signs the Bite’s Not Right 

Itʼs not always easy to tell when your child has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a problem bite. Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:

• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Difficulty in chewing or biting
• Breathing through the mouth
• Thumb-sucking
• Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
• Jaws that are too far forward or back
• Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
• Protruding teeth
• Upper and lower teeth that don’t meet, or meet in an abnormal way
• An unbalanced facial appearance
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth