As with every health problem and disease, early diagnosis and intervention are very important for the success of the treatment. Especially if orthodontic treatment is started early, it is possible to prevent many problems before they start. At the same time, problems at the beginning level are treated early to prevent them from causing bigger problems in the future. Tooth and jaw problems, which are ignored, thought to go away when they grow up, and not treated under the control of a dentist, cause both more advanced problems and expensive treatment costs in the future. Therefore, it is of great importance that children, whose every detail is considered for their future, receive orthodontic treatment early in order to have good oral and dental health in the future. Here are the importance and advantages of orthodontic interventions applied at an early age…
Why is early intervention important during the eruption of permanent teeth?
They should convey the problems they observed with their parents, especially during the eruption of permanent teeth, to the dentists in a short time. Because the bone age in this period is different from the tooth age, it is still not too late to solve the existing bone problems. If the bone age in the child is suitable and the development process continues, then braces and a palate can be applied in the jaw. When the chance of early intervention is lost, the treatment process will be prolonged, the costs will increase, and the physical and psychological effects on children will increase.
So, when should dental and jaw problems be intervened?
In order not to risk the oral and dental health of children, especially for the solution of skeletal problems, the patient should not exceed the age of development. For example, if the child’s lower jaw is too far back or ahead, it can be solved with the treatment protocols to be applied in this case. Moreover, early interventions provide both faster results and more stability. If the child’s bone development is complete, then braces or other interventions are insufficient and the person needs to undergo a surgical operation. The methods applied for skeletal problems are as follows; Face masks applied when the upper jaw is too far behind the lower jaw are used for Class III orthodontic disorders. In this approach, support is taken from the lower jaw and forehead. In order for the face mask treatment to be applied, the child’s bone development must be incomplete. Functional treatments can be applied to correct the anterior upper jaw or the posterior lower jaw. Functional appliances are attached to the teeth and allow the jaw to reach the targeted position. Although it may sound a little different and difficult, another method that is quite easy is the upper jaw expansion. For this, jaw expansion appliances are used and it is aimed to separate the bones formed from two bone fragments and to form a bone in between.
When are braces fitted?
The area where time is critical in orthodontic problems is skeletal problems. However, braces treatment can be applied to patients of all ages. For the application of braces in children, the deciduous teeth must be completely lost and the permanent teeth must have erupted in the mouth. At this point, children over the age of 12 can be treated with braces. Although there are many orthodontic bracket options, metal dental treatments are recommended for children. If the child has a problem with the appearance of the wire and thinks that he will be exposed to peer bullying, then porcelain appliances and transparent plaques can also be evaluated.
