Early orthodontic care can help your child achieve a healthy, straight smile and identify potential orthodontic problems at the right time.
Early Orthodontic Assessment
Ensuring your children receive an early orthodontic examination is the best way to ensure they have a healthy, straight smile later in life. At Heath Street Dental, our specialists recommend that an initial consultation for Children’s Orthodontics should occur by age 7. However, you should have your child’s teeth evaluated as soon as possible if there are some signs of orthodontic problems.
At an early age, orthodontic treatment may not be necessary for your child. However, careful examination can anticipate the best time to begin treatment. Our Children’s Orthodontics team at Heath Street Dental believe in using early interceptive treatment to aim at preventing or intercepting more serious problems later.
At early ages, there are some common signs of orthodontic problems to look out for in your child’s teeth. For example, you can monitor whether their baby teeth are lost early or late, inspect your child’s molars by the age of 5 and adult teeth by age 13. Other common problems to look out for include mouth-breathing, difficulty chewing, protruding teeth and thumb-sucking after age 5. Continual thumb sucking can cause your child’s upper teeth to begin to protrude outwards.
The Right Time For Treatment
Planning your children’s orthodontics early can save you and your child a lot of hassle later. This is because Orthodontic procedures for adults often take more time and can involve tooth extraction or oral surgery. Receiving early children’s orthodontics can ensure your child prevents the need for orthodontics as an adult.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have an initial orthodontic screening by the age of 7. By this age, all your child’s permanent front teeth should have erupted. However, these teeth could become impacted or fail to erupt if there is inadequate space. With an evaluation at this time, we can help to identify problems with eruptions. We can also evaluate the growth of the jaws, check for crossbites (when upper teeth hit inside the lower teeth) and crowding. An early orthodontic screening helps to show if treatment will even be necessary and the best time for your child to be treated.
If required, your child would normally start using comprehensive braces from the age 11.
Types of Braces for Children
The type of braces most commonly used for children in the U.K. are traditional metal braces . However, at Heath Street Dental we also employ more aesthetic options that reduce the visibility of braces. These includes ceramic braces and lingual braces. Our specialists will always discuss all the treatment options available to you.
Why Choose Us
Our experienced team provides personalised children’s orthodontic care, helping to identify potential concerns early and support healthy smile development at every stage.
Early orthodontic examinations can help identify potential concerns and support healthy dental development from an early age.
Our experienced team provides professional orthodontic care tailored to your child's individual needs.
Every child's smile is unique, so we carefully assess their development before recommending the right treatment.
Early assessment can help identify orthodontic concerns before they develop into more complex problems later.
We provide a welcoming and supportive environment to help children feel comfortable throughout their orthodontic journey.
From the first assessment to treatment and beyond, our team is here to guide your child at every stage.
Your Questions, Answered
Find answers to some common questions about children’s orthodontics, early assessments and helping your child achieve a healthy, confident smile.
Children are generally recommended to have an initial orthodontic assessment around the age of 7, allowing potential concerns with tooth and jaw development to be identified early.
Not always. An early assessment does not necessarily mean treatment will begin immediately. It helps the orthodontist monitor your child's development and determine the most appropriate time for treatment.
Signs can include crowded or protruding teeth, difficulty chewing, mouth breathing, prolonged thumb sucking, or baby teeth being lost unusually early or late.
Early assessment and treatment, where appropriate, can help identify and address developing orthodontic concerns before they become more complex.
Treatment time varies depending on your child's individual needs and the type of orthodontic treatment required. Your orthodontist will discuss an estimated treatment timeline during the consultation.
Depending on your child's needs, treatment options may include traditional metal braces as well as more discreet options such as ceramic or lingual braces.
Children may experience some temporary discomfort when braces are first fitted or adjusted. This usually settles as they become accustomed to the treatment.
Take the first step towards a healthy, confident smile. Our friendly team is here to assess your child's orthodontic needs and guide you through the best treatment options.
Patient Stories
We’re proud to care for patients across Hampstead and beyond. Here’s what they have to say about their experience at our dental practice.
From the moment I walked in, the team made me feel comfortable and at ease. The dental examination was thorough and reassuring.
Friendly staff, flexible appointment times, and a very professional dentist. I finally feel confident about my dental health.
The practice is clean, modern, and welcoming. Everything was explained clearly, and I never felt rushed.
I’m usually nervous about dental visits, but the team was incredibly kind and patient. Highly recommended.
Your dental health is important to us.Whether you need advice, an appointment, or emergency care,our dedicated team is always ready to help with compassion and expertise.Expect a response from us within 24 hours — because your smile deserves timely care and attention.
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Providing trusted dental care for families and individuals — because every smile matters to us always, with comfort and compassion.
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