According to USC (University of Southern California) School of Dentistry , they have discover a surgical procedure developed by periodontist Tom Wilcko that rapidly straightens teeth, delivering a healthy bite and attractive smile in months instead of years. Researchers at USC School of Dentistry have published the first case study of the successful use of a patient’s own bone material for the grafting necessary in the accelerated orthodontic surgical procedure. The report appears in the May 2008 issue of the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry.

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The American Association of Orthodontists recommends children have an orthodontic screening no later than age 7. By then, enough of the permanent teeth have emerged to identify potential problems. However, you shouldn’t wait until all the permanent teeth erupt in the mouth. Starting orthodontic treatment early in life offers many advantages. For example, while children are still growing, expansion devices can be used to modify the width of the palate, which can help teeth come in straighter. Such treatment is best done at an early age to maximize a patient’s orthodontic potential.

Many people undergo orthodontic treatment during adolescent and teen-age years, when most of the permanent teeth have come in and treatment can be most effective. About 3 million teen-agers in the United States and Canada wear braces, and millions more would benefit from treatment.

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Although determining if treatment is necessary is difficult for you to assess, the following symptoms may help in prompting you to seek our orthodontic advice.

Ask your child to open their mouth, and let you look at their teeth. If you see any signs of crooked teeth, gaps between your child’s teeth or overlapping teeth, your child may need orthodontic treatment.

Ask your child to bite all the way down, but keeping their lips open so you can see their teeth. Do the front top teeth line up with the bottom? Do the top teeth protrude out away from the bottom teeth? Do the top front teeth cover more than 50% of the bottom teeth? Are the top teeth behind the bottom teeth? All these are indicators for potential orthodontic treatment.

Look at the alignment of your child’s jaw. Does the jaw shift off center when your child bites down? If you see any misalignment or shifting of the jaw, your child may have a skeletal problem, which requires early orthodontic intervention.