The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that all children be screened by an AAO orthodontist around age 7. By age 7, your child has enough permanent teeth for an orthodontist to evaluate if a problem exists or is developing. Some issues may be obvious – misaligned teeth, an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite – but others can remain undetectable by the untrained eye. Orthodontists use panoramic X-rays to check below the surface to look for extra teeth, missing teeth, impacted teeth, or teeth coming into the wrong positions. Early treatment, which occurs while some baby teeth are still present, can guide the growth of facial and jaw bones into a healthy, more ideal growth pattern and provide more space for incoming permanent teeth. Orthodontists are experts in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics – properly aligned teeth and jaws – and possess the skills and experience to give your child the best smile.