As a parent, you want to give your child every advantage in life and a healthy, confident smile is one of the greatest gifts you can provide. Don’t wait until all adult teeth come in before you book an orthodontic screening for your child.
If you are wondering whether your child needs braces, when they should see an orthodontist, or how modern treatment options fit into your busy family schedule, you are in the right place.
When most people think of braces for kids, they picture a perfectly aligned, cosmetic smile. While a beautiful smile does wonders for a child’s self-esteem, orthodontic treatment is primarily rooted in health, function, and prevention.
During childhood, the jaws are still growing, and the facial bones are highly adaptable. Addressing structural issues early can prevent more invasive, complex treatments (such as jaw surgery or permanent tooth extractions) later in life. Here are the primary reasons why children need braces or early orthodontic guidance:
When permanent teeth erupt, there isn’t always enough room in the jaw to accommodate them. Severe crowding can cause teeth to twist, overlap, or become impacted (trapped beneath the gums). Conversely, excessive spacing can leave gums exposed and vulnerable to injury or plaque buildup. Braces create the perfect amount of space, guiding teeth into their proper anatomical positions.
How your child’s upper and lower teeth meet is fundamental to their oral health. Common bite issues include:
Misaligned teeth make it difficult to chew food thoroughly, which can occasionally impact digestion. Furthermore, certain speech impediments and lisping are linked directly to bite structural imbalances, which can be improved with proper alignment. The shapes and positions of the upper and lower jaws also have an effect on how well your child breathes during the day and night.
When teeth are misaligned or protrude outward (“buck teeth”), they are significantly more susceptible to dental trauma and chipping during playground activities or sports. An uneven bite also causes certain teeth to bear the brunt of chewing forces, leading to premature enamel wear, fractures, and jaw joint strain (TMD) in the future.
Crooked, overlapping teeth create tight spaces that are difficult for small hands to brush and floss effectively. Over time, these hard-to-reach plaque traps increase your child’s risk of developing tooth decay, cavities, and early gum inflammation. Straight teeth make daily brushing easier for you and your child.
The Canadian Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child receive their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7.
Why age 7? By this stage, your child has a mix of baby and permanent teeth, and their first permanent molars have usually erupted. This allows Dr. MacKenzie to assess how the bite is forming and track jaw growth.
Free ConsultImportant Note for Parents: Bringing your child in at age 7 does not mean they will get braces right away. In fact, most children do not need immediate treatment. Instead, it allows us to monitor their dental development safely over time for free, stepping in only if interceptive care is required to guide growth smoothly.
If you had braces yourself decades ago, you might remember bulky metal brackets, uncomfortable manual tightening appointments, and persistent soreness. We have wonderful news for you: orthodontics has completely transformed.
At MacKenzie Orthodontics, we invest heavily in next-generation digital technology. Our advanced systems utilize gentler, continuous forces making the process faster, gentler, incredibly precise, and very comfortable.
The day your child gets their braces on should be exciting, not exhausting. Using DIBS AI software, Dr. MacKenzie digitally maps out the perfect mathematical placement for every single bracket on a 3D digital model of your child’s teeth before they even set foot in the office.
On bonding day, rather than gluing brackets one by one while your child sits restless in the chair, we use a custom-engineered transfer tray to place an entire arch of brackets simultaneously. This decreases the time your child has to spend getting braces on. It also decreases the number of appointments and treatment time.
Free ConsultWhile traditional braces are highly effective, clear aligners consistently deliver a superior, more predictable experience for children and their busy families. Clear aligners such as Invisalign First and Angel Kid provide:
To ensure absolute peace of mind, we are proud to be the only office in New Brunswick that offers the Dental Pain Eraser. This groundbreaking, drug-free, device calms the nerve pathways responsible for dental soreness. We use it in our clinics during adjustments, and it is available for at-home use, providing safe, near-instant relief from early treatment tenderness without relying on over-the-counter pain medications.
Free Consult| Office Location | Address | Serving Communities |
| Saint John | 53 King Street | Uptown Saint John, West Side, East Side, Grand Bay-Westfield |
| Quispamsis | 120 Millennium Drive | Quispamsis, Rothesay, the Kennebecasis Valley (KV), Hampton |
| St. Stephen | 141 King Street | St. Stephen, St. Andrews, Charlotte County, Calais (ME) |
Each office is fully digital, staffed by our exceptionally trained, compassionate clinical team, and designed to provide a warm, stress-free environment for kids and parents alike.
Give your child the lifelong confidence that comes with a healthy, beautiful, well-aligned smile. Booking an appointment is simple, and no dentist referral is required to see our specialist team.
Contact our central scheduling team today at (506) 633-0555 or visit us online to request your child’s Free Consultation at our Saint John, Quispamsis, or St. Stephen locations. We cannot wait to welcome your family to ours!
Free ConsultChoosing who will guide your child’s smile transformation is an important decision. Orthodontics is more than just straightening teeth. It is a specialized branch of dentistry focused on facial development, jaw alignment, and long-term oral health.
Dr. Liliya MacKenzie has been a board-certified specialist orthodontist since 2009. Her academic and clinical foundation is extensive:
Beyond the clinical degrees and board certifications, Dr. MacKenzie brings an invaluable perspective to her practice: She is a mom of three children.
At MacKenzie Orthodontics, your child isn’t just a chart or a number: they are treated like family.
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