What is the Best Time for Orthodontic Treatment?

Developing malocclusions, or bad bites, can be recognized as early as 2-3 years of age. Often, early steps can be taken to reduce the need for major orthodontic treatment at a later age.

Stage I – Early Treatment: This period of treatment encompasses ages 2 to 6 years. At this young age, we are concerned with underdeveloped dental arches, the premature loss of primary teeth, and harmful habits such as finger or thumb sucking. Treatment initiated in this stage of development is often very successful and many times, though not always, can eliminate the need for future orthodontic/orthopedic treatment.

Stage II – Mixed Dentition: This period covers the ages of 6 to 12 years, with the eruption of the permanent incisor (front) teeth and 6 year molars. Treatment concerns deal with jaw malrelationships and dental realignment problems. This is an excellent stage to start treatment, when indicated, as your child’s hard and soft tissues are usually very responsive to orthodontic or orthopedic forces.

Stage III – Adolescent Dentition: This stage deals with the permanent teeth and the development of the final bite relationship.

Orthodontics
A specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the study and treatment of malocclusions (improper bites), which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both.
 
A wide array of orthodontic treatment facilities are available with us including invisible braces, lingual orthodontics, myofunctional appliances, orthodontic implants etc

Orthodontic treatment can focus on dental displacement only, or can deal with the control and modification of facial growth.

Orthodontic treatment can be carried out for purely aesthetic reasons with regards to improving the general appearance of patients' teeth.

Patient need base treatment plan is incorporated using the latest diagnostic and imaging techniques and perfect alignment of teeth is carried out.

People in age group are welcome to have their smiles designed by adult orthodontic techniques.

Early Orthodontic (Two Phase) Treatment

The American Association for Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic evaluation by the age of 7. Early detection and treatment gives your child the edge: a much better chance for natural and normal development. By working with the natural growth instead of against it, we can prevent problems from becoming worse, and give your child a lifetime of healthy smiles!

Early treatment should be initiated for:

• Habits such as tongue thrusting and thumb sucking

• A constricted airway due to swollen adenoids or tonsils

• Mouth breathing or snoring problems

• A bad bite

• Bone problems (i.e. narrow or underdeveloped jaws)

• Space maintenance (for missing teeth)
  

Phase One - Functional (Growth) Appliances and/or Limited Braces - Ages 5 to 12

In the first phase, the doctor is interested in the position and symmetry of the jaws, future growth, spacing of the teeth, breathing and other oral habits which may, over a period of time, result in abnormal dentofacial development.

Treatment initiated in this phase of development is often very successful and some times, though not always, can eliminate the need for future orthodontic treatment.It involves the use of many different kind of appliances according to the need , this may also inclide Traines , Myobraces , T4k , etc

Phase Two - Braces - Ages 12 to 14

In the second phase, the doctor will be looking at how your child’s teeth and jaws fit, and more specifically work, together. Your child’s teeth will be straightened and their occlusion (bite) is properly aligned. Attention will be given to the jaw joint, (TMJ), the facial profile and periodontal (gum) tissues. By undergoing the first phase, we can usually reduce the amount of time needed for braces.

Facts: Early Treatment is Important to Consider!

Facial Development - Seventy-five percent of 12-year-olds need orthodontic treatment. Yet 90% of a child's face has already developed! By guiding facial development earlier, through the use of functional appliances, 80% of the treatment can be corrected before the adult teeth are present!

Cooperation - Younger children between the ages of 8 and 11 are often much more cooperative than children of ages 12 to 14.

Shorter Treatment Time - Another advantage of early Phase One treatment is that children will need to wear fixed braces on their adult teeth for less time.

To Correct Underdeveloped or Overdeveloped Jaws - Almost 55% of children who need orthodontic treatment due to a bad bite have underdeveloped or overdeveloped upper or lower jaws. Functional appliances and/or limited braces can reposition the jaws, improving the child's profile and correcting the bite problem - within 7 to 9 months!

Orthodontic treatment can be carried out successfully during early phase , which more often than not eliminates the extraction of permanent teeth , and reduces the time of wearing of conventional braces if at all required . Conventionally this therapy is carried out in 2 phases , as written earlier , but in a few cases the appliances are effective so much so that it totally eliminates the wearing of braces . Dr. Azeez Gaurav Swarup has been trained in Europe by the Myofunctional research  Co. on this particular method of treatment which generally does orthodontic treatment without extraction of teeth and even without braces. More Info on the Trainer system or the Myobrace System , please click here or here.