IMPROVING ORTHODONTIC CARE FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AND EARLY MANAGEMENT OF SKELETAL CRANIOFACIAL DISCREPANCIES

This narrative review examines timely orthodontic care for school aged children with skeletal craniofacial discrepancies. It distinguishes early detection from immediate appliance treatment and considers dental and skeletal outcomes separately. A proposed care pathway combines initial screening, specialist assessment, individualized timing and longitudinal follow-up. Early intervention should address a defined clinical problem, while routine two-phase treatment cannot be assumed to improve final outcomes in every child. The proposed service indicators require prospective validation; no original patient data are reported.