It is usually difficult for you to determine if treatment is necessary because there are many problems that can occur even though the front teeth look straight. Also, there are some problems that look intimidating and complex which will resolve on their own. Asking your general dentist is good reference, but we are your best resource since orthodontics is all we do. Our initial exam is complimentary and we would be more than happy to see your child and make any recommendations necessary.
Although determining if treatment is necessary is difficult for you to assess, the following symptoms may help in prompting you to seek our orthodontic advice. Ask your child to open their mouth, and let you look at their teeth. If you see any signs of crooked teeth, gaps between your child's teeth or overlapping teeth, your child may need orthodontic treatment.
Ask your child to bite all the way down, but keeping their lips open so you can see their teeth. Do the front top teeth line up with the bottom? Do the top teeth protrude out away from the bottom teeth? Do the top front teeth cover more than 50% of the bottom teeth? Are the top teeth behind the bottom teeth? All these are indicators for potential orthodontic treatment. Look at the alignment of your child's jaw. Does the jaw shift off center when your child bites down? If you see any misalignment or shifting of the jaw, your child may have a skeletal problem, which requires early orthodontic intervention. These are only some of the obvious symptoms of orthodontic problems.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that your child be evaluated by age 7. Early detection of some orthodontic problems is important in order to take early corrective action and avoid more difficult treatment later. Our office recommends seeing children at six years of age in most instances. However, orthodontists can improve most malocclusions at any age. There is usually an optimum age in terms of the amount of improvement that can be achieved, the type of treatment employed, and cost incurred. That best age is different for every patient!
The earlier we see patients, the more options we have to correct problems. However, age is not a barrier. As long as the supporting structures (bone and soft tissue) are healthy, it is never too late to improve your orthodontics and/or cosmetic appearance. We have patients in our practice ranging in age from four to eighty!
The correct alignment of teeth helps to prevent decay. Crowded and overlapping teeth tend to trap food and are extremely difficult to brush and floss. Improper "meshing" of upper and lower teeth (even though they are straight) will tend to cause wear and shifting teeth through the years.
Digestive disturbances, speech impediments, and psychological problems can all be associated with misaligned, "buck", or crooked teeth. Obviously, orthodontic treatment is a great aid in the partial or total elimination of these problems.
Recent studies have also shown a direct relationship between straight, well cared for teeth and success in the business world. Those with straight teeth are routinely chosen for jobs over those who do not have straight teeth. This is unfair perhaps, but it is true.
No, age is not a factor, only the health of your gums and bone which support your teeth. About 50% of our orthodontic patients are adults and that number is still growing!
Orthodontic treatment has improved dramatically. As a rule, braces make your teeth sore for a few days, but it is not painful. This annoyance can be relieved with an over-the-counter pain reliever. Today's braces are smaller, more comfortable and use technology that reduces the discomfort. We use the latest in miniature braces and the highest quality of orthodontic materials in order to reduce discomfort and treatment time.
Yes. When teeth are missing, adjacent teeth will drift into the empty space. This will cause a functional, esthetic or periodontal problem. Orthodontic treatment will correct and prevent these problems and will also provide proper alignment for your dentist to replace the missing teeth.
Just when is the right time for orthodontic treatment? This is the second most frequently asked question in our office. (The title of this book is obviously the most frequently asked question.) Perhaps the best answer to this question is to describe what is possible in various age groups.
If the world were an ideal place, all patients would be seen by an orthodontist by the age of five years old. This does not mean that all five-year-olds need to be treated, but it does give the orthodontist the ability to intercept very difficult growth problems and treat them if necessary. Most children, if seen by the age of six or seven, can benefit from all of the advantages of early treatment. The ability to have the greatest degree of orthopedic control is the single greatest advantage of early treatment. Very simply this means that we, as an orthodontic team, can have the most effect on:
1. Ideally we want to intercept problems while a large amount of facial development remains. By the age of twelve years, ninety percent of a child's facial development is completed. For many problems this is too late to achieve the very best results. However good results can be still achieved.
2. The second advantage is that in most cases, early orthodontic treatment eliminates the need to remove permanent teeth. As the jaws slowly expand, room for the permanent teeth is made.
3. The third advantage of two-phase treatment is to provide a good "airway." Mouth breathing can usually be eliminated with early orthodontics. This in turn can have a dramatic effect on lower jaw growth. Many mouth breathers develop a receding jaw.
4. The fourth advantage is the ability to place teeth and jaws in the most esthetic positions. We can eliminate, to a large degree, the unattractive "gummy" smile and the dark corners that appear at the sides of the mouth because the jaws are too narrow.
5. The fifth and last advantage that should be mentioned (though there are many more) is the wonderful degree of cooperation that young children exhibit. This cooperation factor should not be underestimated since successful orthodontic treatment depends in large measure on cooperation from the patient.
One thing is certain, a child who has crowding at age seven, eight, or nine years of age will have crowding at age twelve, thirteen, or forty-two. Lack of space for permanent teeth does not improve on its own.
Over the years the largest segment of society to benefit from orthodontic treatment has been children in the twelve to fourteen age bracket. This has been true for a number of reasons. Primarily, orthodontists did not know what was possible earlier in the growth cycle. Most orthodontists have in fact been taught just the opposite. That is, early treatment could not be successful.
Roncone Orthodontics | 221 Main Street, Suite 100, Vista, CA 92084 | Phone: (760) 758-0630 | Fax: (760) 758-5466
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