Generally speaking, the common maxillofacial deformities in clinical children can be divided into two categories: dental deformities and bony deformities. The dental deformities are divided into general dental deformities and functional deformities. The best time for orthodontic treatment is different for different types of malformations. For general dental malformations, the best time for orthodontic treatment is early permanent teeth (i.e., 12 or 13 years old) because children have just finished replacing their teeth and are in a time of vigorous growth and development. As for functional malformations, since they often appear during the period of the replacement of teeth (i.e., 6-12 years old), if orthodontic treatment is delayed, they may develop into bony malformations, so the best time for orthodontic treatment should be during the period of the replacement of teeth. As for the correction of bony malformations, orthodontic treatment should be performed when the child is in the pre-growth phase (10-12 years old for girls and 11-13 years old for boys). One exception is the anterior teeth backbite (commonly known as
“Diastema”). This malformation has a more serious impact on the jaw development of children and should be corrected immediately once it occurs, the earliest correction can start around 3.5 years old. It usually takes only 3-6 months to nudge out the upper milk front teeth that bite back on the inside of the lower jaw teeth. Usually orthodontics takes about a year and a half to two years. Generally children are faster than adults and treatment with extractions takes longer than treatment without extractions. Complex malocclusions and malformations take longer to treat than simple malocclusions and malformations. Skeletal malformations take a little longer to correct than simple dental malformations. Each person’s situation is different and should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, and the treatment time should also be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. After orthodontic treatment is completed, it is usually necessary to wear a retainer for about one and a half years.