Braces for children
Early treatment
Act in good time
When does an early orthodontic treatment make sence?
Early orthodontic treatment is necessary for some tooth and jaw misalignments. Early treatment is carried out from around the age of six. Only in very rare exceptional cases does it make sense to start even earlier. These treatments serve to harmonize pronounced deviations at an early stage and thus create the conditions for further development that is as normal as possible. The reasons for carrying out early orthodontic treatment can vary greatly.
Underbite or reverse overbite
Commonly the cause for a reverse overbite lies with a too small or trailing upper jaw. The final growth of the upper jaw typically matures at the age of 8-9 years. To deal with a growth deficit in the upper jaw, orthodontically with the aid of braces, early treatment is necessary. Intervening with orthodontic forward growth stimulation will not be possible at a later stage.
Crossbite
Often in the case of a crossbite the upper jaw is too narrow. Upper and lower jaw do not fit together seamlessly, which can lead to an articulated deflection of the lower jaw. Left untreated this will result in asymmetrical facial growth. Important to note that the roof of the mouth also serves as the base of the nose. Children with narrow upper jaws commonly are diagnosed problems with nasal breathing. The orthodontist has the ability to retrospectively promote lateral growth development with the supper of specialised braces. Using this technique rectifies the crossbite and eases nasal breathing. The prerequisite for correct further growth is to start treatment early.
Open bite
If only a few teeth are in contact and you can see between the remaining upper and lower teeth when biting together, this is called an open bite. Open bites can be caused by bad habits (e.g. thumb sucking) or hereditary. It is important to recognize the cause at an early stage and, if possible, to eliminate it in order to avoid serious consequences for the development of the bite. An open bite can be open frontally, laterally or even circularly.
Shortage of space
If there is too little space for the permanent teeth, this may be an indication for early orthodontic treatment. If there is a particularly pronounced lack of space, it makes sense to create space with braces in the early mixed dentition in order to avoid tooth extractions later on.
Enlarged overjet
If there is a large step between the upper and lower incisors, this is referred to as a large overbite. The risk of tooth damage (e.g. when falling off a bike, playing ball, tripping) is significantly increased with a large overbite. In particularly pronounced cases, the overbite should therefore be reduced as part of early orthodontic treatment. If the overbite is less pronounced, later treatment is usually recommended, taking advantage of the prepubertal growth spurt.
Further topics
In our guide you will find lots more information on current, relevant and interesting topics relating to orthodontics. We hope you enjoy reading it!
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