The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child's first visit to the orthodontist occur no later than 7 years of age. Crossbites, crowding and other problems can be evaluated when the first permanent molars and incisors have erupted. These visits will provide parents with information regarding their child's skeletal growth pattern and dental development. It will help to advise parents on ideal treatment timing. If a child is evaluated by an orthodontist but does not need orthodontic treatment at that point, the orthodontist will typically recommend periodic follow-up visits so that the child's tooth eruption and jaw growth can be monitored. For a lot of patients, the best time to start treatment is when they have only a few primary teeth remaining in their mouth. However, every patient is different and may ideally be treated earlier or later. Even if treatment is not yet indicated, early evaluation is useful for later diagnosis and treatment planning.

When treatment is begun early, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early treatment can simplify later treatment.