At what age should general dentists refer patients to an orthodontist?
The age at which we begin treating patients represents a paradigm shift in orthodontics. At the present time, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends seeing children by the age of seven versus waiting until the 12-year molars have erupted. This change has come about in part due to the use of functional appliances. These appliances are used to arrest, enhance, and/or redirect skeletal growth. The fact that our professional journal is now called “Orthodontics and Dental-Facial Orthopedics” reflects this new emphasis on facial harmony in our specialty. In addition to facial orthopedics, another significant advantage to early mixed dentition treatment the preservation of teeth that would have to be extracted under permanent dentition treatment. Also early alignment of crowded or rotated anterior teeth decreases the potential for relapse since the transseptal fibers are reoriented and held in the corrected position longer.
