SCOTTS VALLEY, SANTA CRUZ CA
Parents want the best for their children, especially when it comes to health. If your child has gapped, protruding, or crowded teeth, you may be curious about orthodontic treatment. While braces might not be recommended for your child until he or she is a little bit older, there are other treatments that can be done to lessen their need for braces later on. Early orthodontic intervention aims to guide your child’s jaw growth and tooth alignment as their permanent teeth erupt. Ideally, your child may not need braces, or the length of orthodontic treatment will be shortened thanks to a preventive approach. The family-friendly dentists in Scotts Valley at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry share how your child may benefit from early orthodontic treatment to improve their smile and oral health that will last into their adulthood.
Why does my child require early orthodontic intervention?
Your child’s body rapidly changes as it grows, so early treatment may seem redundant. Fortunately, 90% of your child’s adolescent facial growth typically develops when they reach 12 years of age. Therefore, treatment during the younger years can help guide your child’s growth process to address possible oral complications, such as malocclusion. Your child’s early treatment can also help prevent orthodontic relapse and correct your child’s jaw growth pattern. The Los Gatos dentists explain that early orthodontic treatment is more manageable than waiting until the patient has matured and must move the teeth with traditional braces or aligner trays. Our philosophy for treatment is a functional-orthopedic process completed in the two-phases outlined below.
Phase 1: Mixed Dentition (Orthopedic Phase)
During phase one, multiple conditions must get corrected before moving to phase two. Children who have a history of thumb sucking, jaw joint conditions (TMJ), snoring, airway complications, mouth breathing, or anterior and lateral tongue thrusts must correct the condition using an oral appliance. The experienced Santa Cruz dentists warn that avoiding treatment may cause skeletal problems during growth. The complications could cause a narrow upper dental arch or severe overbite, underbite, or crossbite. Your child’s teeth may protrude outward or not meet when they close their jaw. Drs. Max and Ariana recommend immediate treatment using oral appliances earlier in your child’s development rather than later.
Phase 2: Permanent Dentition (Orthodontic Phase)
The permanent dentition treatment extends the results of phase one. During phase two, orthodontic treatments like traditional braces can adjust your child’s mouth without the need for teeth extractions or surgery. The oral devices that aid in repositioning your child’s jaw produce effective results within seven to 12 months without requiring surgery.
What benefits accompany early treatment?
Choosing early orthodontic intervention to prevent future complications provides multiple oral and overall health benefits. The adjustments merely guide your child’s growth and development using influence instead of extensive orthodontics later on.
- Overcome various speech challenges.
- Reduce possible trauma to protruding teeth.
- Correct the width of your child’s dental arches.
- Improve your child’s eruption patterns.
- Smile aesthetics improve and boost self-esteem.
- Improve airway problems to reduce breathing
- Generate or maintain space for arriving permanent teeth.
- Reduce your child’s risk of permanent impact teeth that lead to extractions.
- Correct the results of harmful oral health habits such as thumb sucking or extended pacifier use.
Children’s Dentist in Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, and Scotts Valley, California
The ultimate decision about your child’s oral health is yours. However, the decision should be a knowledgeable one as it could save you time and money with future dental care needs. With the help of an experienced dentist in Santa Cruz, you can influence your child’s oral health for the remainder of his or her life. If you have questions about your child’s oral health or malocclusion treatment, feel free to call Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry at (831) 438-4411 or request an appointment online today.
