Interceptive Orthodontics

When should Orthodontic Treatment start?

There is a general belief that children should only begin orthodontic treatment between the ages of 12 to 14 years, when all the permanent teeth have erupted.  Correction of crowding at this stage is limited to only mechanical forces; and as such, adult teeth need to be extracted to make room for the lack of space in the mouth.

According to the American Academy of Orthodontics, if treatment can be started at an earlier age of 5 to 10 years, compliance and growth can be utilised to great benefit. This would generally result in fewer extractions and achieve better, more stable results. This type of treatment is generally known as Phase I or Interceptive Orthodontics. Phase II or Conventional Orthodontics using braces usually starts at age 11 to 16.

Numerous studies have shown that in most cases, crowding in children are due to poor oral habits which ultimately cause poor bone or skeletal development. This could be due to bad tongue posture, incompetent lip seal or mouth breathing. Interceptive orthodontics, aims to develop the face and jaw correctly by creating more room for the adult teeth to grow into.

Aside from correcting crowded teeth, Interceptive Orthodontics also help in improving the child’s facial appearance. Malocclusions occur due to a tooth or jaw misalignment. It affects the way a child chews, smiles, cleans his teeth or even how he feels about his smile.

Benefits of early Orthodontic Treatment

Early orthodontic treatment may prevent serious problems, like the ones mentioned above, from developing and may make treatment at a later stage shorter and less complicated. It helps:

• Guide jaw growth to create facial symmetry
• Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
• Correct harmful oral habits
• Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
• Improve the way lips meet
• Create room for crowded, erupting teeth
• Preserving space for unerupted teeth
• Reducing the need for tooth removal
• Reducing treatment time
• Guide jaw growth to create facial symmetry