Early or interventional orthodontic treatment is recommended by many dentists and orthodontists. While some early treatments are definitely needed Dr Vaughan is concerned that many early treatments are a wasted of time, money and put patients through unnecessary treatment while they have no possibility of success and only serve to lock patients into a practice.

Dr Vaughan was featured on the 60 Minutes program discussing the early treatment of orthodontic patients. Even Dr Mew, who teaches interventional orthodontic treatment of young children world wide, admitted that there were better options than early orthodontic treatment, for example habit correction was more important.

Early treatment fails because:

• Orthodontic treatment requires high levels of cooperation. Even adults would have difficulty cooperating with some of the orthodontic plates I have seen given to children.
• The jaws are too small. Once a tooth erupts it cannot get any bigger, so they are adult teeth trying to fit into a child's mouth. Mild crowding is natural around the age of 10 to 12 years and will often disappear with growth.
• The last teeth to grow into the mouth, the canines in the upper jaw, require six millimeters of space. Treatment cannnot be completed until these teeth come through.
• Growth enables us to get the best results, and the adolescent growth phase (13 to 16 years) is the most rapid growth stage of a persons life. This is the best time for orthodontic treatment.

Remember, children go through "The Ugly Duckling Stage". This is because growth is not even and some parts of the body grow first and faster. Their legs get too long for their body and their teeth don't fit into their mouth. They often also lack coordination. It is given the Ugly Duckling name because like the baby swan, when nature is given a chance a thing of beauty can develop. Think back to how many children looked gawky when young, and had crooked teeth, and then blossomed into a beautiful person without treatment. There are courses offered to dentists and orthodontists helping us to convince everyone they need treatment and they need it now.