Orthodontic treatment, completed effectively and at the appropriate time, can help dental patients minimize all kinds of oral health problems down the road. In fact, many children can benefit from early orthodontic treatment way before adolescence.
Our Cheney orthodontic dentists are here to help you understand what early orthodontic treatment is and how it can improve oral health. Keep reading to learn more!
The goal of early orthodontic treatment is to make structural changes to the patient’s smile before his or her facial structure has finished growing. Treatment may create more space in the child’s mouth for adult teeth to fully emerge, and improve bite alignment.
Here are some common dental problems that may indicate that your child could benefit from early orthodontic treatment:
· Problems chewing
· Overbite, underbite, and crossbite
· Asymmetrical facial appearance
· Bruxism—grinding or clenching of the teeth
· Front top teeth and front bottom teeth that hit unnaturally when the mouth opens and closes
· TMJ pain or popping
· Crowded teeth
Early orthodontic treatment can take a number of forms:
Perfecting dental alignment—your dentist may recommend straightening your child’s front most teeth, so that these teeth are firmly in place as the back teeth emerge. Another strategy used in early orthodontic treatment is to use a dental appliance to maintain space between a child’s teeth, so that when the adult teeth come in, they are able to come straight up or down.
Improving jaw and skull function—palatal expansion and maxillary protraction can both work to correct poorly aligned bites, and help the lower jaw stay aligned with the rest of the patient’s maxillofacial structure.
Call our Cheney dentists to learn more about this type of treatment. You can even schedule a consultation for your child with our helpful dental team!