It's never too early to begin orthodontic treatment
When it comes to your youngster's teeth, did you know that earlier may be better than later?
What makes early evaluation important?
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, kids should have an initial orthodontic screening at age 7.
There are several ways that kids can benefit from seeing an orthodontist at an early age. But it's important to recognize that early evaluation isn't necessarily followed by early treatment; in most cases, if orthodontic work is needed, we simply monitor your child's growth patterns until we see that it's time for treatment to begin. This gives us an opportunity to get the best results in the most efficient way, and to help prevent future problems.
Although every child's development is different, in most kids the first adult molars have typically started to emerge by around age six. This, along with other developmental markers, lets us get a handle on the basic alignment of the teeth, from front to back and side to side. It may also be possible at this point to determine whether there is adequate room in the mouth for all of the permanent teeth — and, if not, to take action.
When is early treatment better?
Treatment for common orthodontic problems typically begins around age 9-14, when all of the baby teeth are gone and many of the permanent ones are in place. But there are some conditions that are much easier to treat if they're caught at an early age, when a child's natural growth processes are going full speed ahead.
Orthodontic Conditions
easier to treat early
A condition where the upper teeth close inside the lower teeth. To treat this problem, a device called a palatal expander can be used, which gradually and painlessly widens the upper jaw; it's especially effective when the jaw itself hasn't fully developed. If we wait too long, a more complicated treatment — or even oral surgery — might be required to correct the problem.
Severe Crossbite
This occurs when the jaws are too small to accommodate all of the permanent teeth. Either palatal expansion or tooth extraction may be recommended at this point, to help the adult teeth erupt (emerge from below the gums) properly. Even if braces are required later, the treatment time will likely be shorter and less complicated.
Severe Crowding
When this occurs, teeth become prone to chipping and fractures; they may also lead to problems with a child's self-image.
Protruding teeth
A condition where the lower jaw growing much larger than the upper jaw, can result in serious bite problems
Severe underbite
Orthodontic appliances, including braces and headgear, can be successfully used to correct these problems at this stage, when the child's development is in full swing, thereby increasing the chances that surgery can be avoided.
Common Applicances
-
Palatal Expander
This is one of the most frequently used orthodontic appliances. It is used to widen the upper jaw for a variety of reasons. Dr. DeBroeck may recommend an expander for crowding, a crossbite, or various other dental conditions. If crossbite are left untreated, they may lead to asymmetric jaw growth, excessive wear of the back teeth, and TMJ issues. Patients with a narrow upper jaw may also be experiencing breathing symptoms due to a constricted airway. Palatal expansion may be able to help to widen the airway and facilitate better breathing. The ideal timing to complete palatal expansion is when the bones of the upper jaw have not yet fused. Once past a certain age, skeletal expansion cannot be completed without surgical intervention. The appliance is cemented onto the back teeth, and is activated by turning the appliance 1x a day. Each turn will widen the upper jaw by 1/4 of a millimeter. Typically, turns are completed for 3-6 weeks, and the expander stays in for a total time of approximately 6-8 months. It can be used alone, or in addition to braces or invisalign, depending on a patient's specific needs.
-
Herbst appliance
One of the most common orthodontic problems is a Class II malocclusion, or an "overbite." This occurs when the growth of the lower jaw does not match the growth of the upper jaw, resulting in excess overjet, or a space between the top and bottom teeth that people commonly refer to as an overbite. In the past, these cases were corrected with surgical procedures, or headgear. Today these cases can be corrected using the Herbst to inhibit upper jaw growth and stimulate the lower jaw to its potential development during the patient’s growth period. Timing of these cases is crucial, as we want to take advantage of the patient's growth spurt to maximize the benefit of using the appliance. Many times, the Herbst will include an expander in its upper portion, so that the upper jaw can be slightly widened to accommodate the new position of the lower jaw when it grows forward. The Herbst works using arms that connect the upper and lower portions together. When the patient bites down with the arms engaged, it will posture the lower jaw forward into the ideal relationship. Typically, this appliance is used in combination with braces or invisalign, and will stay in for approximately 8-12 months of the total treatment time.
-
Carriere Motion Appliance
The Carriere appliance offers an alternative way to correct Class II (overbite) or Class III (underbite) malocclusions in conjunction with Invisalign or Braces treatment. If the source of the misaligned bite is skeletal in nature, a functional appliance like the Herbst may be a better option, however, if the misaligned bite is due to the positions of the teeth, the Carriere is a great solution. The appliance is individually sized and starts on either the canine or the first premolar, and ends on the first molar. It does not attach to any of the front four teeth. A retainer, or Invisalign aligners are used on the lower arch and rubber bands are used to connect the top and bottom arches. With good compliance, bite correction typically takes approximately 6-8 months. Braces and/or Invisalign are then used for the remainder of the treatment.
Correcting Bad Habits
Parafunctional Habits
The sucking reflex is natural in early childhood; it usually disappears between ages 2 and 4. But if it persists much later, the pressure of the digit on the front teeth and the upper jaw can actually cause the teeth to move apart and the jaws to change shape. This can lead to the orthodontic problem called “open bite,” and may impair speech. An open bite can also be caused by the force of the tongue pushing forward against the teeth (tongue thrusting).
Thumb Sucking
This condition of an abnormal breathing pattern in which the mouth always remains open, passing air directly to the lungs — is related to alterations in the muscular function of the tongue and face. It may cause the upper and lower jaw to grow abnormally, which can lead to serious orthodontic problems. Although mouth breathing may start from a physical difficulty, it can become a habitual action that's hard to break.
Mouth Breathing
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Tongue Thrusting
Various orthodontic treatments are available to help correct these parafunctional habits — and the sooner they're taken care of, the less damage they may cause. But these potential problems aren't always easy to recognize. That's one more reason why you should bring your child in for an early orthodontic screening.