When is the best time to start?
When the lower front teeth are starting to grow, we can begin to see whether the teeth are going to be crowded. This would be around the age of 5 to 7 years.
An X-ray needs to be taken to make sure all the permanent teeth are present and growing in the jaws. Models of the teeth would be taken as a record of the original condition of the teeth.
This depends on the stage of the child’s growth. As a general guideline, the child needs to be seen by the dentist about every 3 months. This way, the growth can be monitored and extractions can be done in a timely manner to minimize crowding.
This depends on how severely crowded the teeth are. In severely crowded cases, four permanent premolars may need to be removed.
Serial extraction begins at an early age to prevent or minimize the effects of crowding. In mild cases of crowding, treatment with braces may not be needed. In severe cases, alignment of the teeth can be enhanced further with braces. Often, because serial extraction had been done, treatment with braces would be simpler and shorter.