A visit to an orthodontist

Ellen says:There's no set age for a kid to visit the orthodontist — some kids go when they're 6, some kids go when they're 10, and some go while they're teens. Even adults visit the orthodontist for treatment. Many orthodontists say a kid should see an orthodontist before age 7 so any problems can be spotted early. That doesn't mean a kid will get braces right away. But the orthodontistwill know which problems exist and can choose the best time to start treatment.

Orthodontist treat kids for many problems, including having crowded or overlapping teeth or having problems with jaw growth and tooth development. These tooth and jaw problems may be caused by tooth decay, losing baby teeth too soon, accidents, or habits like thumb sucking. These problems also can be genetic or inherited, meaning that they run in a person's family.