The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up by age 7. That may sound early — most 7-year-olds still have plenty of baby teeth — but that mix of baby and permanent teeth is exactly what makes the timing right. At this age, a simple exam and panoramic X-ray let an orthodontist see how the jaws are growing and how the adult teeth are coming in: developing crowding, bite problems, missing or extra teeth, and teeth that are drifting toward impaction. Most children who come in at 7 don't need treatment yet. What the visit buys is information — and when treatment is needed, starting at the right moment can make everything that follows simpler. Consultations at both of our offices are always free.
You don't need to diagnose anything — that's our job. But if you notice any of these at home, it's worth a (free) look:
When upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth — in the back or the front — the jaw often shifts to one side to make the teeth fit. Left alone, that shift can influence how the jaw grows. A crossbite is one of the clearest reasons to consider early treatment, and it's exactly what a palatal expander is designed to correct.
Some crowding is common as adult teeth arrive. But significant overlap at age 7-8 can signal that the dental arch is too narrow for the teeth on the way. Early space management may reduce the need for extractions later.
Long-running sucking habits can push front teeth forward, narrow the upper jaw, and hold an open bite. The habit is easier to retire early, and a simple appliance can help when reminders aren't enough.
Children who consistently breathe through the mouth sometimes have a narrow upper arch or other findings worth checking. It's not automatically an orthodontic problem, but it's worth mentioning at a check-up.
Timing matters: a baby tooth lost too soon can let neighbors drift into the empty space, blocking the adult tooth underneath. One lost too late can force the adult tooth off course. Both are easy to monitor — and a small space maintainer can hold the door open.
Prominent upper front teeth are more exposed to chips and injuries in falls and sports. Guiding them back at the right time lowers that risk, which is one of the specific reasons the AAO cites for early treatment.
If your child chews on one side, avoids certain foods, or their teeth simply don't seem to meet, the bite may be to blame — and bites are most adjustable while the jaws are still growing.
A lower jaw that swings to one side when closing often traces back to a crossbite or interference between teeth. Catching the cause early can keep an asymmetry from becoming established.
Noticed one of these? A consultation is free — we'll take a look, and if nothing needs treatment yet, we'll simply keep watch.
Book a Free ConsultationTwo-phase treatment splits orthodontic care around growth: a short first phase while the jaws are still developing, a resting period, then a finishing phase once the adult teeth are in. It isn't for everyone — but when it's indicated, each phase has a clear job.
A free exam and panoramic X-ray show how the jaws and incoming teeth are developing. Most kids just get a clean bill and a recheck schedule.
If a specific problem is developing — a crossbite, a too-narrow arch, severe crowding, harmful habits, or teeth heading toward impaction — a focused appliance goes to work while growth can still be guided: a palatal expander, partial braces, or early clear aligners. Phase 1 targets that one problem; it doesn't try to finish the smile.
Appliances come off and growth does the next part. We check in periodically as the remaining adult teeth erupt — often into space Phase 1 created.
Full braces or clear aligners align every tooth and fine-tune the bite. Because Phase 1 reduced the severity of the underlying problem, Phase 2 is often shorter and more predictable than it would have been.
Every phase of treatment ends the same way: a retainer to hold what was gained. We monitor until the adult bite is stable.
Does every child need two phases? No — the AAO is clear that for many children, a single phase of comprehensive treatment in the early teen years is still the right path. The age-7 visit is how we tell the difference.
Sometimes, yes — honestly, not always. When crowding is moderate, there are two natural sources of space an orthodontist can protect or create. The first is leeway space: baby molars are wider than the premolars that replace them, and guarding that difference as teeth change over can supply several millimeters of room. The second is the arch itself: when the upper jaw is genuinely narrow, expanding it in the mixed dentition widens the arch and adds perimeter — room teeth can actually use. Managed at the right age, these approaches resolve many moderate crowding cases without removing permanent teeth. Severe tooth-size/jaw-size mismatches are a different story: for some patients, carefully planned extractions still produce the healthiest, most stable result, and it would be wrong to promise otherwise. What early evaluation guarantees isn't a particular answer — it's that the extraction-sparing options are still on the table when the decision is made.
After wisdom teeth, upper canines are the teeth that most often get stuck. The frustrating part: by the time an impacted canine announces itself in the teen years, the fix usually involves oral surgery and months of orthodontic traction. The hopeful part: canines drift off course slowly, and a panoramic X-ray at age 7-10 shows them coming. When a canine is flagged early, well-timed interceptive steps — removing the corresponding baby canine at the right moment, and in some cases widening a narrow arch — have been shown in orthodontic literature to improve the eruption path and reduce the chance of impaction. It's one of the clearest examples of a small early move preventing a big later procedure — and it's only possible if someone takes the X-ray.
A small appliance that gently widens a narrow upper jaw over a few weeks, correcting crossbites and creating room for incoming teeth. Works best in the mixed-dentition years while the palate is still adaptable.
Learn how expanders work →Braces on just the teeth that need guiding — often the four upper front teeth — to correct protrusion, rotations, or spacing during Phase 1 without treating the whole mouth.
Learn MoreAligner systems designed for ages roughly 6-10 (such as Invisalign First) can develop the arch and manage crowding and spacing while baby teeth are still present — removable, comfortable, and nearly invisible.
Learn MoreWhen a baby tooth exits early, a simple maintainer holds its space so the adult tooth underneath still has a door to walk through.
Book a Free ConsultationFor persistent thumb, finger, or tongue habits, a gentle reminder appliance protects the bite while the habit winds down.
Book a Free ConsultationBy age 7, per the American Association of Orthodontists. Enough adult teeth are in to spot developing problems, and the jaws are still growing enough to guide. Our check-ups are free, at both offices.
Usually not. Most children screened at 7 simply go on a recall schedule and we watch their growth for free. Only a minority have a problem that benefits from acting early.
The classics: crossbites, a narrow upper arch, severe crowding, front teeth at injury risk, harmful habits, and adult teeth drifting toward impaction. Phase 1 targets a specific developing problem — it doesn't try to finish the smile.
Case-dependent, but typically on the order of a year, followed by a resting period in which growth and eruption continue with periodic check-ins.
Often yes — Phase 2 finishes the alignment once all adult teeth arrive. The payoff of a well-chosen Phase 1 is that Phase 2 tends to be shorter, simpler, and more predictable. Sometimes Phase 1 is enough on its own.
Yes — exams and consultations are free at both our Glendale and Garden City offices, and our team includes Spanish-speaking doctors.
Free consultations are available at both offices.
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📍 64 New Hyde Park Rd
Garden City, NY 11530
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Closed Wednesdays
