Early Orthodontics
Dawsonville, GA
What Is Early Orthodontic Treatment?
Early orthodontic treatment is recommended for children who have not yet lost all of their primary teeth. Early treatment aims to prevent the development of more severe issues as the child matures. For instance, if a child has an overbite, early intervention can prevent the need for surgery in the future.
Early treatment can address crowding, spacing, and alignment issues. In some instances, it may be possible to entirely avoid wearing braces. If Dr. Gass recommends early treatment, it is crucial to take immediate action. You can give your child the best chance at a healthy and beautiful smile through early intervention.
How To Tell If Your Child Needs Early Orthodontics?
You might be wondering if your child needs to see an orthodontist. Here are some possible signs that it’s time to see an orthodontist:
- Your child’s teeth are too close together, making it hard for them to floss and brush properly.
- Your child has a crossbite, an overbite, or an underbite.
- Your child’s top front teeth are sticking out, or their bottom front teeth are moving back.
- Your child bites their cheek or tongue every time they eat or talks.
- When your child chews for long periods of time, they get headaches or jaw pain.
- You see that your child’s permanent teeth are coming in behind baby teeth that haven’t fallen out yet.
If you see any of these signs, you should talk to an orthodontist to see if your child needs early treatment. If these problems are not taken care of, they can lead to more serious dental problems in the future. But if we help your child right away, we can ensure they have a healthy, beautiful smile that will last a lifetime.
Phase 1
Phase One treatment aims to help the jaw grow in a way that will make room for all of the permanent teeth and improve how the upper and lower jaws fit together. As children grow and change, they often show early signs of jaw problems. Early on, you can tell if your upper jaw is growing too much or is getting too narrow. If this jaw difference is found in children over the age of six, they may be able to get early orthodontic treatment. Also, if a child is eight years old and their front teeth are crowded, early treatment can keep them from having their permanent teeth removed later.
Resting
During this phase, the rest of the permanent teeth are left alone to come in. Keeping devices might not be a good idea if they get in the way of eruption. It is best to let the permanent teeth that are already there move around a little bit. Even though your child won’t have braces during this phase, it’s still important for them to take care of their teeth and have regular checkups with Dr. Gass.
A successful first phase will have made space for permanent teeth to emerge. Otherwise, they may become impacted or displaced.
Phase 2
The objective of the second phase is to position every tooth in the mouth correctly so that it can cooperate with the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other teeth. The teeth will function well together as soon as this equilibrium is achieved. Full upper and lower braces are typically worn during phase two.
Orthodontic records were created at the beginning of the first phase, along with a diagnosis and treatment strategy. Different types of appliances were used to realign and correct the teeth and jaw during the initial phase. When all of the permanent teeth have erupted, the second phase begins, and most people must wear braces on all of their teeth for an average of 24 months. Your child will wear retainers after this stage in order to preserve their new, beautiful smile.