An orthodontic check-up before school: what the doctor looks at and when to start

The backpack is bought, the uniform fitted, the notebooks labelled. On the August list of parental tasks, teeth usually come last — if they appear at all. Yet a bite is easiest to correct precisely while the child is growing: the difference between "noticed at six" and "noticed at thirteen" is often the difference between a soft plate for six months and two years of braces.

Why see an orthodontist at all if "nothing hurts"

Orthodontic problems do not hurt — that is what makes them treacherous. The child doesn't complain, the teeth look "more or less straight", and meanwhile the jaw grows to its own plan. At home this is invisible: crowding, a crossbite or a mouth-breathing habit become obvious to parents only when correction already requires heavier appliances. An orthodontist sees it years earlier.

What exactly the orthodontist checks

• The bite — how the jaws meet, whether there is a crossbite, a deep bite or an open bite.
• The change of teeth — whether baby teeth are falling out and permanent ones erupting on time, and whether there is enough room for them.
• The position of individual teeth — crowding, gaps, rotated teeth.
• Habits that shape the bite — mouth breathing, thumb sucking, tongue thrust, prolonged use of a dummy.
• The condition of the teeth — decay in baby teeth affects the permanent ones, so the check-up is not limited to "straightness".

Signs your child should see an orthodontist now

• the child breathes through the mouth — during the day or in their sleep;
• the lower jaw is noticeably behind or in front of the upper one;
• teeth are erupting "in two rows" or with wide gaps;
• a baby tooth fell out and six months later the permanent one still hasn't appeared;
• the child sucks a thumb after the age of 3–4;
• snoring, grinding teeth at night.

None of these signs is a verdict on its own — but each is worth ten minutes of examination.

The right age for a first visit

The first orthodontic check-up is recommended at 6–7 years, when the first permanent teeth erupt. At this age early problems are corrected with the simplest means: plates, trainers, sometimes simply by breaking a habit. More on age and early correction in "At what age should a child have braces".

If your child is already 10–14 and has never seen an orthodontist, it is not "too late". It is simply a reason not to postpone another year: in teenagers both braces and clear aligners work well.

How the check-up goes at Houston

No pain and no "scary instruments": the doctor looks, asks questions and shows parents what she sees — in a mirror and on screen, in plain language. If something needs clarifying, the clinic has its own 3D diagnostics, Houston 3D. The visit ends with a written recommendation: either "all good, next check-up in a year", or exactly what is worth doing and how much time you have to decide calmly.

Two orthodontists work at the clinic — approaches, appliances and prices are described on the orthodontics page.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the check-up take?

10–15 minutes. That is enough to assess the bite, the change of teeth and to understand whether the child needs a consultation with diagnostics.

Does it hurt?

No. A check-up means looking and asking questions. Nothing is drilled, injected or removed.

What if everything is fine?

You exhale and come back in a year. An annual check-up is the cheapest way not to miss the moment when something starts to go wrong.

And if the doctor does find something?

You get a written recommendation explaining what it means, what the options are and how much time you have. You make the decision at home, calmly — nothing has to be treated or paid for on the day of the examination.

Frequently asked questions

Kseniia Tretiak

Orthodontist · paediatric orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment for children and adults: braces and aligners, support at every stage, including the retention period.

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