Prompt intervention regarding oral health problems can vastly improve the patient’s long-term dental prognosis; this is the philosophy at the heart of early orthodontic treatment.
Early orthodontic treatment refers to ortho for pediatric patients, who likely still have many of their primary teeth. Many people are confused about the purpose of early orthodontic treatment for this very reason—why bother moving primary teeth that will eventually fall out? Keep reading to learn more from our Cheney dentists!
When contemplating early ortho, it is helpful to keep in mind that your oral health involves so much more than just your teeth—your jaw, your maxillofacial structure as a whole, and even your oral tissues are all connected to one another. So, by improving how a patient’s teeth function, even primary teeth, the entire system can become more balanced and healthy.
So, when do we use early orthodontic treatment? We may recommend early ortho in order to:
- Improve the way the jaw is growing, so that there will be enough room along the jawline for adult teeth to emerge
- Correct bite problems,—overbites, underbites, crossbites—as these issues can lead to bite dysfunction, TMJ problems, and premature dental wear and tear
- Address existing habits that are potentially damaging for your child’s smile—for example, thumbsucking
Early orthodontic treatment delivers immediate benefits, and it lays the table for the development of a healthy and stable smile as your child’s permanent teeth come in. In many cases, patients who complete early ortho treatment need fewer and less invasive corrective treatments during their teen and adult years.
Our Cheney early orthodontic dentists are happy to give you any additional information that you may need about how this type of treatment works, and for whom it is beneficial. You can always contact our team by calling our office, or using the Contact Us page on our site to submit your question!