WHAT IS IT?
Most children should visit an orthodontist by the age of 7 to evaluate if early treatment might be needed. Early treatment usually starts when children are between the ages of 8 and 9 before full teeth have erupted in contrast to normal orthodontic treatment which starts after adult teeth have come in, generally later than age 9. Early treatment enables an orthodontist to correct a number of issues more effectively than they can do so with later treatment.
It can correct/prevent problems in growth of jaws and correct some bite issues. It can also reduce the risk of later extractions by providing room for teeth to grow into and it can eliminate the need for orthodontic treatment as an adult.
An early assessment does not necessarily result in treatment but in some cases periodic monitoring of development by an orthodontist is recommended even if immediate treatment is not.
INDICATIONS EARLY TREATMENT MAY BE USEFUL
You don’t need to guess if your child would benefit from early orthodontic treatment. Call us and we’ll set up an appointment so Dr. Trandem can see your child. However, it’s still useful to know what some of the indications that suggest early treatment might be beneficial.
THUMB SUCKING
If your child sucked his or her thumb after the age of 4 then your child is at a higher risk of having an open bite. This can result from the force of the thumb pushing against the teeth and jaw and the resulting open bite can impair speech and cause other problems such as chewing difficulties. Force from the tongue can have the same result.
MOUTH BREATHING
Mouth breathing occurs when a person habitually breathes through their mouth instead of through their nose. It is often caused by a physical obstruction in the nasal passage way such as sinus issues, asthma, deviated septum or enlarged tonsils and adenoids. While that may seem relatively harmless, it can cause of a number of serious health issues including sleep apnea, frequent throat and ear infections, and concentration issues. Mouth breathing can also cause dental, orthodontic and developmental problems such as facial deformities, chewing issues, speech impediment, bite issues and high occurrence of cavities and gingivitis due to its impact on lower and upper jaw growth. Orthodontics can correct dental problems caused by mouth breathing but not necessarily the cause of mouth breathing itself.
CROSSBITES
In simple terms a crossbite is a misalignment between upper and lower teeth or between upper and lower jaw bones. There are several kinds of crossbites including (anterior, brody, and posterior). Children as young as 5 years of age who present with crossbites will generally benefit from early treatment as this condition is more readily solved at a younger age.
SEVERE CROWDING
As the term implies, severe crowding occurs when there is not enough space in the jawbone for the teeth to erupt properly. Early treatment via a palatal expander or extraction can be used to help adult teeth erupt properly.
OTHER INDICATIONS
Other symptoms that might tip off a parent, dentist or orthodontist that early treatment is beneficial include: difficulty chewing or biting and protruding teeth.
WHY EARLY TREATMENT IS BETTER
Jaw bones stop growing after teen years. At that point correcting orthodontic problems will take more time and can be more invasive, increasing the possibility of tooth extractions for instance.