“How do I know when I'm ready for braces?”

If you feel you are ready, then set up a consultation with an orthodontist. These are typically complimentary, or you can do this virtually by submitting a SmileMate Assessment here: https://us.smilemate.com/practice/05bd7e24-8384-4e1f-978d-5e819ce5f7e5/flows/virtual-consultation

In grown adults, a lot of times the best time for braces is "now"... as in, the sooner the better, because we don't get any younger and moving teeth around is easier the younger and more resilient your body is. However, you should also take into account that braces treatment typically lasts about 2 years, so you will also want to try to plan to stay living in that location for at least 2 years if possible. For children, we often try to plan the placement of braces when a child is going through a growth spurt, or as soon as needed to make sure no damage is being done to surrounding teeth. This varies from child to child, so your best bet would be to schedule a consultation witn a local orthodontist and have them give you an idea of when it would be best to take action.

If all your adult teeth have erupted you can begin treatment any time. The only exception is if you have a large lower jaw with lower teeth at an edge to edge relationship or beyond. In this case treatment should wait until lower jaw growth is completed around age 20

There are many factors involved. It is possible you may need early Interceptive Orthodontics (AKA Phase One) to correct the jaws or a harmful habit or you can just wait until all the permanent teeth erupt. The American Association of Orthodontist recommends that all children be seen by an orthodontist by the age of 7. We can tell by that age if your jaws are developing correctly or not. The best thing for you to do is to make an appointment with an orthodontist and they will tell you if you are ready. Even if you are not ready, they can put you on Recall appointments where you come in every 6 months or longer to monitor. Don’t think of it as a waste of time if you are not ready, it gives the orthodontist valuable information of how your teeth and jaws are developing. It will also give you peace of mind.

Best of luck,

Glenn P. Frial, DDS, MS, APC

A professional opinion either from a dentist or orthodontist is your best answer. There are reasons for early treatment. Breathing and head posture problems can be noticed at ager 3 - 5. Good advice early can be very helpful later on. Bad oral habits should be corrected as soon as detected. Kids at 7-9 often have lack space for erupting teeth and jaw growth disharmony which may need attention. Sometimes waiting until all the primary teeth are lost is the best time. Then many adults benefit that never had the opportunity for earlier treatment. So the prefect time depends on the circumstances for each individual.