The age of 7 is considered as the most appropriate for a child's first visit to the orthodontist. At that time, a first assessment can be made. It can be checked whether everything is going smoothly and a recall appointment can be arranged within a reasonable time, depending on the severity of a potential problem. Thus, it provides the possibility of early diagnosis of any orthodontic problem and the first stage of the treatment can take place.

This initial treatment is the first phase of orthodontic treatment. Skeletal growth and transition from the deciduous teeth towards permanent dentition allow us to correct orthodontic problems since their very beginning.

Removable appliances are the most used devices in this phase. Occasionally, extraoral or functional appliances can be also used.

Early successful intervention can help prevent extractions of permanent teeth and resolve skeletal abnormalities without a surgery at a later stage. The next phase is the 2nd phase of orthodontic treatment, which takes place during the years of puberty. Meanwhile, the patient is monitored to control the retention of the result of the first phase and to determine the right time to start the next phase.

Orthodontic treatment in adolescents is usually placed in time towards the completion of the permanent dentition.

The therapeutic intervention in teenage age can be either the 2nd phase of orthodontic treatment in the case of childhood treatment or the only treatment. This is the age of comprehensive orthodontic treatment and its duration depends on the degree of difficulty of the orthodontic problem and on the general health of the patient.

The orthodontic treatment during adolescence has as objectives:

1. Addressing skeletal and dental problems.
2. Contributing to the formation of a harmonic face, at all levels of space.
3. The creation of a perfect occlusion, which can be stable for a lifetime, under the necessary monitoring.
4. The aesthetic improvement of smile and face.
5. The improvement of oral health.
6. Treatment of problems in collaboration with specialist of other fields, such as speech, breathing and temporomandibular structure disorders.
7. The combined restoration of orthodontic problems involving impacted teeth, supernumerary or missing teeth, etc.

There is a perception that orthodontic treatment is only for children and adolescents. The truth is, however, that age is not a contraindication and that 30% of patients in a practice are adults!

Orthodontic treatment can be:

• Comprehensive orthodontic treatment in adults seeking restoration of their orthodontic problems, which were not addressed or treated and relapsed along the way
• Combined orthodontic treatment with orthognathic surgery in case of skeletal problems that cannot be resolved by orthodontic treatment only.
• Adjunctive orthodontic treatment in adults who wish to resolve dental problems in cooperation with other specialties (periodontics, prosthetics, endodontics, etc.).

Orthodontic treatment in adults aims at:

1. Restoring the occlusion and skeletal relationship of the lower third of the face (in case of orthognathic therapy).
2. The improvement of oral hygiene.
3. The improvement of the prognosis of the teeth.
4. The facilitation of other dental treatment plans (in adjunctive treatment).