Most people, when they think about orthodontic treatment, picture teens or adults with braces; we often think that people use orthodontics purely to make their smiles looks more attractive. However, there many structural and oral-health-related benefits to orthodontics. And, in fact, some pediatric patients can benefit from early orthodontic treatment.
Let’s learn more about what early ortho is designed to do!
Early ortho is designed to help young dental patients avoid serious structural oral health problems down the road. With timely orthodontic intervention, young patients can enjoy more attractive and healthier smiles as adults.
One thing that our team can do with early ortho is to address underbites, overbites, and crossbites before they become more severe. Pronounced bite misalignment can make it difficult for your child to develop healthy speech patterns and eat normally. By correcting bite problems, our team creates healthier and more attractive smiles.
Another common goal of early orthodontic treatment is to achieve palatal expansion. Young patients with particularly narrow palates may have a number of dental problems as they grow and develop. Palatal expansion can make room in the patient’s mouth for teeth to emerge comfortably and evenly. This treatment can also help to prevent the patient’s lower jaw from shifting off to one side.
Finally, our team also sometimes uses partial braces to align just the patient’s front teeth. This not only improves the aesthetics of the child’s smile; it also frees up space along the gum line for posterior teeth to erupt.
If you want to learn more about the specifics of early intervention orthodontics, our Cheney, WA dentists are here to answer your questions and point you in the right direction. Call our office to schedule a consultation for your child—when we evaluate your child’s smile we can give you a better idea of whether early ortho is appropriate.