For kids, there’s definitely an ideal timeframe for orthodontic treatment. We often say the earlier we see your children for an orthodontic consultation, the better. Our team at Facing the Future Orthodontics will take some time to explain a trending topic, early orthodontic treatment and provide some insight into what it is.
Early Birds Get the Worm
Early orthodontic treatment refers to interceptive or prevention treatment in children. An aligned smile and aligned jaws are far easier to clean and protect in the long term. Orthodontics can be used for kids, teens, and adults—but there are a number of advantages to treatment in childhood, when possible.
Explaining Early Orthodontic Treatment
Dr. Vic and Dr. Hailey will go over a few of the many options we use for this approach. Since permanent teeth are coming in and while the teeth and jaw are more adaptable for kids, early orthodontic treatment is a way to lay down a solid foundation for any future dental or orthodontic matters.
- Space Maintainers: We use these to keep an open gap for permanent teeth to enter after a baby tooth is lost too early. Without space maintainers, other teeth can start to shift into the empty space and cause alignment issues.
- Expanders: Palatal expanders are a great tool to make the upper jaw wider, creating room for permanent teeth to come in and improving bite alignment.
- Partial Braces (Phase I Braces): This is a special variety of braces that help prepare the mouth for a complete set of braces. We’ll explain more about this method in the next section of the blog.
- Retainers: Once active treatment concludes, retainers are needed to keep the amazing results in place. These can be fixed or removable
- Sleep and Airway Treatment: Our office also works with kids who suffer from sleep apnea. Narrow arches and misaligned teeth can contribute to breathing issues, which is why we like to address them early. We have the ability to treat this condition using maxillary skeletal expanders and other methods.
Two-Phase Orthodontics
Our pediatric patients will often experience a type of treatment called Two-Phase Orthodontics, which can be valuable on a number of levels:
- Phase One (Early or Interceptive Treatment): We usually conduct this first phase when a child has both baby and permanent teeth, and tissues are still quite malleable, around ages seven to ten. This dynamic growth period is ideal for taking care of severe crowding, crossbites, or protruding teeth.
- Phase Two (Comprehensive Treatment): By ages eleven to fourteen, most of a child’s baby teeth are gone. This is when we switch our focus to aligning the permanent teeth, as well as both jaws. Our team will use a full set of braces on the upper and lower teeth for this stage, which is what one usually imagines when braces comes to min.
The Benefits of a Head Start
Facing the Future Orthodontics is all about being proactive! Getting ahead of the game on orthodontic issues can impact the trajectory of a child’s life, especially in terms of confidence. Here are a few more of the reasons we talk about early treatment so adamantly:
- Keeping It Simple: One huge benefit of interceptive treatment is preventing the need for more complex treatment options in the future. These can include procedures like jaw surgery or more invasive orthodontic procedures when they grow up.
- Jaw Alignment: Early treatment involving the jaws can guide their growth. Correcting these problems early can reduce the risk of malocclusions later on (bite misalignment).
- Speech Development: Children often experience difficulties with speech due to alignment and anatomical issues. This is also wise to take care of early on, as it sets them up for success with speech habits as they grow.
- Habit Correction: Children sometimes develop harmful oral habits, like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting. By working together with parents, our team can identify and correct these behaviors.
- Preventing Dental Trauma: Teeth that are misaligned or protruding are more likely to be injured, especially in kids who participate in sports like football, hockey, or any sort of martial arts.
- Boosting Confidence: Finally, a child’s quality of self-image is so important. By creating a smile they feel happy with, they can have a better sense of self-esteem as they age.
A Sublime Start
It’s important to remember that if your child misses this window, it is certainly not the end of the world! As we said, Facing the Future Orthodontics believes everyone should have access to orthodontic treatment at all stages of life. Our practice has two incredible offices located in East Hampton and Riverhead. We hope to see you soon!
