There are certain situations where early orthodontic treatment (known as Early Interceptive Orthodontics) is necessary in order to either prevent potentially damaging contact between the upper- and lower teeth, ii) deter unfavourable habits such as thumb sucking or tongue thrusts, or iii) to make certain conditions, such as dental crowding, easier to address in the future. In some cases, Early Interceptive Orthodontics can also boost a young child’s confidence with their teeth, during their early school years where peer pressure can be prevalent.
There are a few malocclusions that may warrant Early Orthodontic Treatment. Crossbites of the front or back teeth can cause tooth enamel wear, and create a sliding interference when closing. It can also result in young kids posturing their jaws forwards or even to the sides when closing. To prevent worsening of this situation, Early Orthodontic Treatment can be implemented.
Prominent (or sticking out) upper front teeth are another common problem in young kids and these teeth are more likely to be injured and their appearance can cause significant distress. Depending on the cause of this malocclusion, and the severity of the protrusion, Early Orthodontic Treatment can be used to reduce the severity of the overjet and overbite. Research has demonstrated a reduction in trauma to the front teeth when Early Orthodontic Treatment is carried out in these cases. For more information click here.
Early intervention often takes advantage of the fact that your child’s jaw is still growing. For example, an expander may be used to expand the upper dental arch. Once the arch is the proper size, there’s a better chance that the adult teeth will emerge in better position. Early loss of baby teeth will often necessitate a space maintainer to preserve the space for eruption of the adult teeth. Sometimes teeth still may be crowded after all of them have erupted. In such cases, some permanent teeth may still have to be extracted to make room to align the teeth properly.
Early Orthodontic Treatment can reduce the likelihood of future definitive orthodontic treatment with braces. Even if braces are required when the adult teeth have erupted, treatment is often simplified and of a shorter duration.