At what age should children have their first orthodontic examination? Is the 7 year old rule true?

My daughter is 7.5 years old, her two front teeth are slightly crossed and spaced apart. Our pediatrician said to see an orthodontist, but most of the baby teeth have not fallen out yet. Shouldn't we wait for all the permanent teeth to come out, is 7 years old too early?

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Kerem Şahin

11.08.2026 07:28 TR

@Seda Bulut in reply to:

Definitely not too early! We said "let's wait for the teeth to fall out", so we took him when he was 8 years old and he had upper jaw stenosis. When it was intervened at an early age, it resolved very easily within 6 months because the bone was flexible. If it is late, surgery may even be required.

#45

Dr. Dt. Emre Kartal Verified Medical Specialist (Periodontoloji (Diş Eti Hastalıkları) Uzmanı)

11.08.2026 11:51 TR

@Seda Bulut in reply to:

The World Orthodontic Association (WFO) and the Turkish Orthodontic Association recommend that all children be examined by an orthodontist at the age of 7 at the latest. The goal at this age is not to straighten all the teeth; It is to solve space limitations due to jaw stenosis, crossbite, skeletal problems or early loss of primary teeth without surgery by growth guidance at an early stage.

#46

Emre Avcı

11.08.2026 18:29 TR

@Seda Bulut in reply to:

I totally agree. Our son's front teeth were protruding forward due to his thumb sucking habit, but they returned to normal in 6 months, thanks to the palate they installed at the age of 7.

#47

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At what age should children have their first orthodontic examination? Is the 7 year old rule true?

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