Early Orthodontic Treatment

Benefits of Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment (Phase I)

Some orthodontic conditions are simply easier to correct if they’re corrected early. In addition, knowing whether your child might need corrective dental work can offer a peace of mind. Interceptive orthodontic treatment is all about preventing more severe problems that may occur in the future. It provides an opportunity for the orthodontist to have control over where the permanent teeth come in by addressing the structure of the jaw and teeth while the primary teeth are still in the mouth. By age seven, your child’s mouth has grown with enough sound structure to predict how it will develop as the permanent teeth start to emerge. Your child’s Dental Associates pediatric dentist is trained to identify bite issues at an early age and will refer your child to one of our orthodontists at an appropriate point in time.

Early Treatment is designed to:

• Enable correct biting and chewing
• Correct harmful oral habits
• Prevent a problem from developing
• Intercept a developing problem
• Guide the growth of the jaw bones that support the teeth so the teeth come in straight and the jaw grows in the correct alignment
• Lower the risk of damage or breakage to protruded front teeth
• Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
• Create a more pleasing arrangement of teeth, lips and face
• Establish long-term stability so that the teeth remain where they are supposed to stay
• Improve appearance

Conditions That May Require Early Orthodontic Treatment (Phase I )

There are many reasons to have your orthodontist examine your young child’s mouth when they still have baby teeth. A thorough orthodontic evaluation will reveal how the teeth and mouth are growing. Additionally, it will give an opportunity for your orthodontist to provide interceptive treatment, which basically prevents a problem before it happens.

Two-Phase

If it is concluded that treatment is necessary during your child’s early orthodontic consultation, the orthodontist will take a two-phase approach. The first phase will begin right away while your child still has most of his/her primary teeth. The second phase will occur as your child gets older at an appropriate time determined by your child’s growth and corrective dental needs.

The second phase, Traditional Braces, is designed to:

• Move permanent teeth into their final positions
• Continue improving teeth function and facial appearance
• Continue to increase child’s self-esteem

Orthodontic treatment and a child’s growth are meant to complement each other.

By timing treatment to stages of dental development, Dr. Yoon can take advantage of your child’s growth and development. Treating problems early on in a growing child may alleviate more drastic and invasive procedures later.

Types of teeth and bite conditions that may be cause for early interceptive treatment include:

• Open bites
• Deep bites
• Cross bites
• Overjets
• Crowding
• Spacing
• Teeth not emerging in the right sequence
• Missing teeth
• Congenitally missing teeth
• Ankylosed teeth: a condition where the tooth stops erupting and stays in the same place, causing the permanent tooth to be displaced upon emergence