By having orthodontic care for children, they will be able to have the following benefits:
Broad and Beautiful Smiles
Mouth breathing can cause narrow arches and unattractive smiles. By using functional appliances while children are actively growing, we can help them achieve a broad, beautiful smile.
Healthy Jaw Joints
Many children with narrow jaws, deep overbites or receding lower jaws have unhealthy jaw joints which can cause:
- Headaches
- Neck Pain
- Dizziness
- Earaches or ringing in ears
- Fainting
- Clicking or locking jaws
- Difficulty opening jaws
Ability To Breathe Freely
Mouth breathing can lead to orthodontic problems as well as other problems, such as lack of oxygen and poor sleeping habits. These leave children prone to daytime fatigue, and inability to concentrate in school and experiencing headaches. By having orthodontics treatment, children can breathe freely.
Ends Ear Pain
Deep overbites and receding lower jaws may cause earaches, stuffiness or ringing in the ears. If infection has been ruled out, functional appliances can eliminate these symptoms effectively.
Facilitates Speech Development
Narrow jaws can confine the tongue and interfere with normal speech. Orthodontics treatment can help ensure proper growth and greatly enhance a child’s ability to speak normally.
Eliminate Crowding
Crowded teeth are caused by narrow arches. By developing the arches at an early age, we may prevent or eliminate the crowding of permanent teeth.
Why Functional Appliances are so important ?
Functional appliances can correct the following problems:
- Bite problems
- Underdeveloped jaws
- Narrow arches
- Crowded teeth
- Deep overbites
- Jaw joint problems
- Airway problems
- Thumb sucking problems
And also prevent the followings:
- Removal of adult teeth
- Fang-like tooth appearance
- Lengthy use of braces
- Speech difficulties
- Crowding
There are two phase treatments for children needing orthodontics care, as explained below:
Phase One
Functional appliances – for Children Aged 5 to 12.
Early treatment should be initiated for habits such as
- Tongue thrusting and thumb sucking
- A constricted airway due to swollen adenoids or tonsils
- Mouth breathing or snoring
- A bad bite
- Bone problems, such as narrow or underdeveloped jaws.
Advantages of Phase One Treatments
Facial Development
About 75% of 12 year-olds need orthodontic treatment. Yet, 90% of a child’s face has already been developed by then. By guiding facial development early, through the use of functional appliances, 90% of those treated can be corrected before the adult teeth are present!
Correcting Underdeveloped Jaws
It should be noted that almost 50% of children who need orthodontic treatment due to a bad bite have underdeveloped lower jaws. Functional appliances can re-position the lower jaw forward, improve the child’s profile and correct the bite problem – within 7 to 9 months!
Better Cooperation
Younger children between the ages of 8 and 11 are often much more cooperative than children of 12 to 14 years of age.
Shorter Treatment Time
Another advantage of an early Phase One treatment is that children can wear fixed braces on their adult teeth for shorter time.
Phase Two
Braces – for Children Aged 12 to 14
- Teeth are straightened with braces
- Braces usually take about 1.5 to 2 years
- Teeth are whitened
In general, parents want the best for their children, such as
- Straight teeth
- Properly sized jaws
- Straight profiles
- Beautiful smiles
By treating problems early, you save money and may prevent the need for more extensive future treatments.
