Early orthodontic treatment in children is one of the most controversial and misunderstood areas of orthodontics. Parents are often exposed to large amounts of conflicting information online, which can make decision-making confusing and overwhelming.
Questions such as:
are all completely valid questions.
Unfortunately, there is also a great deal of misinformation online, particularly surrounding jaw growth, airway treatment, myofunctional therapy, and “natural jaw development” claims.
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In my opinion, one of the most useful ages for a child to have their first orthodontic assessment is around the age of 6 or 7.
At this stage:
This timing allows a clinician to monitor growth and identify issues such as:
However, early assessment does not automatically mean early treatment.
That distinction is extremely important.
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Some clinicians advocate starting orthodontic treatment extremely early, sometimes as young as 3 or 4 years old.
In my opinion, this is often unnecessary.
At that age:
Starting treatment too early can sometimes lead to prolonged treatment without meaningful long-term benefit.
On the other hand, waiting until every adult tooth erupts around age 12 or 13 can also be too late for certain problems.
Like many things in medicine and dentistry, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.
Functional appliance therapy uses removable or fixed appliances to help manage jaw discrepancies during growth.
These appliances are commonly used to treat:
Examples of removable functional appliances include:
Examples of fixed functional appliances include:
Each appliance has specific indications, and proper diagnosis is essential before deciding whether functional treatment is appropriate.
Myofunctional therapy usually involves exercises or training techniques designed to improve:
Some patients may also use removable myofunctional appliances designed to assist with these habits.
However, it is very important to understand that myofunctional therapy is usually supportive therapy rather than definitive orthodontic treatment by itself.
In my opinion, there is currently a significant amount of misinformation and exaggerated claims online regarding myofunctional therapy.
Myofunctional exercises may help improve muscle function and oral habits in selected patients. In this sense, they can sometimes act similarly to physiotherapy.
However, exercises alone cannot:
Unfortunately, many exaggerated online claims suggest otherwise.
Parents should be cautious when hearing promises that certain exercises, tongue posture techniques, or removable appliances can dramatically reshape jaw growth or completely eliminate the need for braces, extractions, or surgery.
At present, strong scientific evidence supporting many of these claims is lacking.
This is one of the most misunderstood areas of orthodontics.
It is important for parents to understand that no orthodontic appliance, exercise, or habit can make the jaws grow beyond their genetically predetermined limits.
Orthodontic treatment can:
However, treatment cannot create unlimited jaw growth.
A useful analogy is height.
No exercise or appliance can make a child grow to 6’5” if their genetics are programmed for 5’7”. Jaw growth follows the same biological principles.
This is why evidence-based orthodontic treatment remains important.
Palatal expansion can be extremely useful in properly selected children.
Expansion is commonly used to treat:
In some selected cases, expansion may also play a supportive role in managing breathing-related concerns when used alongside ENT or medical assessment.
However, expansion should not be carried out indiscriminately or simply because expansion is currently popular online.
Careful diagnosis is essential.
One of my biggest concerns with modern online orthodontic content is the amount of exaggerated marketing aimed at vulnerable parents.
Claims that a certain appliance can:
should always be approached critically.
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
My approach is always based on careful diagnosis, realistic expectations, and evidence-based orthodontic treatment planning.
Every child is different, and the correct timing and type of treatment depends entirely on the individual patient rather than social media trends or one-size-fits-all philosophies.
If you are concerned about your child’s bite, jaw growth, crowding, oral habits, breathing, or facial development, arranging an orthodontic assessment at the appropriate age can be very helpful.
An early assessment does not always mean treatment is needed immediately. In many cases, monitoring growth carefully is the most appropriate option.
You can arrange an orthodontic consultation through by contacting Lusk Orthodontics or submitting an online inquiry here, to discuss your child’s development and whether any treatment may be beneficial.
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