Early Treatments
by admin
Posted on December 16th, 2015 12:30 pm
Interceptive orthodontic treatment is indicated when conditions exist that, if left untreated, could lead to the development of more serious dental problems. The goal is to reduce the severity of a developing problem and eliminate the cause.
What are the advantages of Interceptive Treatment?
- Corrects thumb and finger sucking habits
- Improves facial balance through influencing jaw growth
- Gains or maintains space for erupting teeth
- Reduces length of treatment, if required when the child is older
The optimum time for Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment is when a patient has baby teeth, or a mixed dentition (baby and permanent teeth). A patient may require more than one phase of interceptive orthodontic treatment.
Orthodontists are trained to identify subtle problems with jaw growth and eruption of teeth. Early detection of orthodontic problems may simplify treatment, and result in shorter treatment times. Waiting until all the permanent teeth have erupted, or until facial growth is nearly complete, may make correction of some problems more difficult.
Dr. Van Elslande will monitor your child’s growth and decide on the optimum time to begin treatment. Timing orthodontic treatment to predictable stages of dental development, allows us to take advantage of your child’s growth and development. Some problems that may be treated quite well in a growing child may require corrective surgery in an older child or an adult.