Smile Center Orlando - Early Treatment

Deep Bite

Do the upper teeth completely hide the lower teeth when you bite down, or does your child bite on the roof of their mouth?

Open Bite

Do the upper and lower teeth not meet in the front when your child bites together?

Overjet

Do the upper front teeth seem to be more noticeable and stick out quite a bit, compared to the lower front teeth?

Crossbite

When you look into your child’s mouth are the upper teeth on the inside of the lower teeth? If you think of the upper jaw as the garage and the lower jaw as the car…the garage should be bigger than the car!

Crowding

Are the permanent teeth starting to come in crowded?

Habits

Does your child suck their finger or their thumb? Do they breathe through their mouth instead of their nose? Do they stick their tongue between their teeth when they swallow?

Facial Asymmetry

When looking at your child from the front does it appear that their face, or chin are shifted to one side. Are they growing crooked?

Headaches

Does your child complain frequently of headaches? If your child grinds their teeth, or has a deep bite, the muscles may be over worked and can contribute to headaches in children.

Earaches

Sometimes a bid bite or a deep bite can cause undue pressure on the small membranes of the ear, contributing to earaches.

These are all sign that your child may need early intervention!

Functional Appliances work with your child’s growth and development to guide the jaws to their proper size.

Contact us for an assessment of your child, if you have noticed any of the above symptoms.

Why would my child need early treatment?

Early treatment, or Phase I, would be recommended if there are certain discrepancies in the development of the upper and lower jaws. Early treatment can correct these problems in the early growth phase of your child (utilizing a functional appliance), which develops the bone to a more normal size, to allow enough room for the permanent teeth to erupt.

What are the benefits of early treatment?

• Improve profiles, smiles and self-esteem
• Correct harmful habits
• Improved speech from expanding the arches and making more room for the tongue.
• Reduction of the time in fixed braces and frequently eliminates the need for the extraction of permanent teeth.
• Prevent the fang look. Upper eye teeth (cuspids) are the last teeth to erupt on the upper arch. If the jaw is too narrow, patient will get the fang look.
• Prevent possibility of facial asymmetry with the expansion of the upper arch and the correction of the posterior crossbite.
• Improves head posture which helps eliminate neck pain
• Prevents grinding of the teeth at night
• Improves nasal breathing

• Prevents gum recession

What is a functional appliance?

Once a thorough and proper diagnosis has been made, the best appliance to be used to correct your child’s problems will be selected. A functional appliance is a tiny device designed like a mouth retainer, with micro-screws, to make the appliance able to activate and stimulate the change in bone, therefore making the jaw grow to it’s potential. The initial records and x-rays, taken at the beginning of treatment, determine growth potential.

How long does Phase I treatment last?

Phase I treatment usually lasts approximately 10-12 months depending on the severity of the case. The appliance is usually active (making changes to the jaw) for 4-6 months then the appliance should be used as a holding appliance for 6 months or as a retainer to prevent any relapse in the treatment. As the permanent teeth erupt, it will be determined when it is no longer necessary to wear the holding appliance.

At what point will my child need orthodontics?

Once the early phase of treatment is finished your child will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to monitor the eruption of the permanent teeth. Once the permanent teeth are all present. We will set up a consultation appointment to determine whether there is a need for braces. Usually orthodontics, which means fixed braces, does not begin until the patent has all their permanent teeth (age 11 to 13). While braces are the most popular among younger patients, they can be worn as a teenager or an adult. More adults these days are asking for braces to help improve their smile and appearance. Set up an initial screening appointment for your child today!