Early Intervention

Preventative Treatment

Preventative orthodontics or early phase orthodontic treatment helps maintain or correct a child's bite before all permanent teeth come in. By identifying and addressing developmental issues early, time spent in later-phase orthodontia may be reduced.

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About Preventative Orthodontics

Preventative treatment is a short phase of treatment, usually 6-12 months in length. This is done when the child is young and they still have baby teeth.  The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic appointment by the age of 7.  Dr. White routinely sees patients as young as 5 for consults.  At Sandpoint Orthodontics we believe in being as conservative as possible.  Our goal is to time the beginning of treatment to coincide with the patient’s optimal growth pattern.  There are some circumstances where a short phase of treatment at a young age could be significantly beneficial for the patient. During this appointment, the orthodontist can look for any problems with the developing jaws and the erupting adult teeth. If a patient’s skeleton is not growing properly or if teeth have erupted into a traumatic bite, it could do damage to the teeth or the supporting structures like the gums and the bone. Sometimes early treatment can even prevent or reduce treatment time in a second phase.  At our free consultation, we evaluate if any treatment is necessary now.

When skeletal growth is not favorable, it is important to identify and treat these problems early. Misaligned jaws and certain issues discovered in children may be early signs of airway issues, oral habits, or other skeletal and growth issues. In early treatment, our focus is on getting skeletal growth and development on track. All adult teeth erupt into the mouth usually between the ages of 10-13 – with a great deal of individual variation. By this age, much of skeletal growth is complete. We can successfully move teeth at this age, but we sometimes lose the opportunity to influence and change skeletal growth patterns.

 

The Initial Examination

We love seeing children at any age that parents or the dentist think there is a problem. We prefer to see children by age seven, but we love seeing them at all ages – if nothing more than to meet them. In many instances, we will decide to monitor skeletal growth and development. If and when orthodontic treatment is warranted, we decide with the family if the child is ready and we tailor our appliance choice based on what is best for each child and family.

When Earlier Treatment Is Better

Crossbite

Crossbite is a condition where the upper teeth close inside the lower teeth. To treat this problem, a palatal expander device can be used, which gradually and painlessly widens the upper jaw; it is especially effective when the jaw itself hasn’t fully developed. If we wait too long, a more involved treatment might be required to correct the problem.

Crowding

Another condition that may benefit from early orthodontic intervention is severe crowding. This can be a sign that the jaws are too small to accommodate all of the permanent teeth. Often, simple interventions such as upper and lower jaw expansion can grow the bone to make room for the erupting teeth. This can potentially help reduce the need to take out teeth later, improve airway and sleep, and can help prevent recession. It can also make the second phase of orthodontic treatment more efficient and predictable.

Protruding teeth

Early intervention may also be helpful in resolving several other problems. Protruding teeth, especially in front, can be prone to chipping and fractures; they may also lead to problems with a child’s self-image. A severe underbite, caused by the lower jaw growing much larger than the upper jaw, can result in serious bite problems. Orthodontic appliances can be successfully used to correct these problems at this stage, when the child’s skeletal development is in full swing, thereby increasing the chances that surgery can be avoided.

Correcting Bad Habits

At one time or another, anyone may pick up a bad habit. But there are some situations where a child’s parafunctional (detrimental to health) habits can actually influence the development and function of his or her teeth, jaws, and mouth. Some examples of these are persistent thumb or pacifier sucking, tongue thrusting, and mouth breathing.

Mouth breathing

An abnormal breathing pattern in which the mouth remains open, passing air directly to the lungs, is related to alterations in the muscular function of the tongue and face. It may cause the upper and lower jaw to grow abnormally, which can lead to serious orthodontic and skeletal growth and development problems. Although mouth breathing may start from a physical difficulty, it can become a habitual action that is hard to break. Mouth breathing can also indicate underdeveloped nasal passages, large adenoids, and tonsils, or a tongue tie. Further evaluation is often indicated when treating mouth breathing.