The Earlier, The Better
A child’s facial and dental development can begin to look misaligned from as early as the age of six, however parents are encouraged to wait until the ages of up to thirteen before having an orthodontic consultation, and subsequently treatment to correct crooked and crowded teeth. However, with modern dental technology, it should not be necessary for patients to have to wait until their mid-teen years to receive treatment.
Cosmetic Dentist
It is now thought by some cosmetic dentists that it is far better to start treatment early and correct the underlying cause of problems as opposed to correcting the crooked and crowded teeth once development has occurred. As the soft tissues in the mouth control the positions of the teeth, it is thought it now worthwhile to treat this alongside any other orthodontic appliance therapy.
Research has shown that the position of teeth is determined by the lips and tongue, as well as correct breathing playing a large role. Therefore, it has been suggested that children are evaluated as young as five in an attempt to reveal causes leading to crooked and crowded teeth and offer treatment straight away to prevent the condition developing as the child grows.
Correcting incorrect breathing, tongue and lip habits at an early age allows the child to develop correct arch development , good tooth alignment and improved jaw growth. This is likely to reduce the need for tradition orthodontic ‘braces’ in later years and allow the child to develop and grow with a much improved smile to that if treatment was not carried out until teen years.
Posted in: cosmetic dentist
| July 30, 2010 at 11:12 am | No comment
