Pediatric Orthodontics

Pediatric Orthodontics

PEDIATRIC ORTHODONTICS

Orthodontics is a specialty in dental medicine dealing with the treatment of incorrect biting (dental malocclusion). In orthodontics, an incorrect bite is often the result of irregularly grown teeth and/or of a disproportionate relationship between the jaw and the mandible.

Why do I need orthodontic treatment?

Orthodontic treatment offers you the best your teeth, improving the harmony of the oral cavity as well as the jaw and mandible. By getting a proper bite, foods can be chewed more comfortably and maintenance of teeth and gums will be done much easier.

These will lead to a huge benefit for your smile!

The benefits of orthodontic treatment are as follows:

• Reassembling the crowded teeth
• Closing large spaces between teeth
• Aligning the upper and lower dental arcs
• Bite correction
• Reducing possible damage to your teeth
• Improving aesthetics
• Preparing for advanced dental treatment such as crowns, bridges or dental implants
• Correct positioning of teeth that cannot erupt correctly.

The pedriatic dentist will seek specialist advice for the orthodontist.

There are also situations in which patients ask for orthodontic treatment without requiring a pedriatic dental check-up, the most common being:

• Front tooth asymmetry
• Tooth agglomeration due to a narrow bone that does not allow enough space for normal tooth development
• Significant spaces between the teeth
• The asymmetry between mandible and maxillary
• Deep bite occurs when upper teeth cover too much lower teeth
• Reverse bite occurs when the superior teeth bite behind the lower teeth.

At what age can the orthodontic treatment begin?

Each case is treated individually. In order to determine if a patient requires orthodontic treatment, it is important to get a consultation with the orthodontist.

Most children begin orthodontic treatment at the age of 12-13 years, with the completion of permanent teeth.

In some situations, it is recommended for children to receive an assessment of the clinical status of the orthodontist in the age range of 7-9 years so that a possible orthodontic treatment starts from a younger age.

Children can be helped by the orthodontist in order to correct clumsy teeth, excessively high incisive upper teeth or jaw growth problems. These changes occur due to the early loss of milk teeth caused by untreated cavities, accidents or vicious habits like finger sucking or genetic inheritance. There is no specific age at which children should visit the orthodontist. Around 6 to 7 years, various problems can be detected. This does not mean that the patient will immediately receive an orthodontic device but the doctor will know the pathology and will decide on the appropriate time for the onset of the orthodontic treatment.