Open and crooked kid's teeth, when should I start orthodontics?
Jul 21, 2024
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At the age of 6 to 7, the baby teeth fall out and permanent tooth extraction begins. At this time, many guardians visit the dentist with anxiety because their children's front teeth are not neat or because of the gap between their teeth. This period is called 'the ugly duckling stage', and any degree to which the incisors are slightly open or the tooth arrangement is uneven is considered normal.
Professor Lee Mi-young (Dental Orthodontist) at Gwanak Seoul National University Dental Hospital advised, "If the upper and lower jaws are not growing in a balanced way or the width of the upper jaw is narrow, it is better to start treatment early." "Unlike adult orthodontics, which aims to arrange individual teeth, correcting the jaw, which is a bowl containing teeth, is effective for growing children."
There are times when immediate treatment is needed. Representatively, it is the case of 'opposite occlusion', in which the lower jaw is forward than the upper jaw, so that the upper and lower teeth are bitten upside down. Adverse occlusal is mainly treated at the time of permanent teeth around the age of 7-8, but in severe cases, it is also treated in the period of kindergarten fever (from 6 months after birth to just before the first permanent teeth appear).
Professor Lee said "The growth of the upper jaw is more important than that of the lower jaw during the kindergarten period", and "If there is an opposing occlusion, the lower jaw interferes with the growth of the upper jaw, so the treatment that promotes the growth of the upper jaw is mainly performed".
Face masks are a typical treatment for antisorption. It is equipped with a fixed device in the oral cavity and wears a face mask by connecting it with a rubber band, and the treatment period usually takes about 6 months to 1 year. The recommended wearing time of the face mask is 12 to 14 hours a day, and it is recommended to use the time at home to wear it as much as possible.
Contrary to the reverse occlusion, there is also a so-called 'mucosal retreatment' because the lower jaw does not grow compared to the upper jaw. In this case, the upper teeth may be accompanied by 'hyperoclamps' that deeply cover the lower teeth or temporomandibular joint disorders. Treatment of mandibular retreatment is performed with malformed treatment that suppresses the growth of the upper jaw and promotes the growth of the lower jaw.
Even if the upper jaw is narrow, it is not visible on the outside, so it is often unknown. When the width of the upper and lower jaws is not harmonized, occlusal is unstable, and in severe cases, asymmetry is sometimes accompanied. However, growing children can expand their upper jaw with relatively little force because the suture of their upper jaw is not completely bone-forming (orrification), so they can secure stable occlusal and additional space through treatment.
Professor Lee recommended that `unless there is a specific abnormality in the child's first orthodontics visit, it is most appropriate to be between the ages of 7 and 8,' and"it is recommended to check the development of bone growth or permanent teeth by receiving regular checkups by a dental orthodontist at this time.'
"The skeleton and dentition vary greatly from person to person, so even similar-looking malocclusion may have very different characteristics."It is important to receive accurate examinations and findings through a dental orthodontist, he stressed.
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