Orthodontics for Young Kids in Vineland, NJ
The technical term for orthodontics for young children is interceptive orthodontics. This special term refers to orthodontic care that’s provided while your child still has some baby teeth.
Earlier approaches to orthodontics required children to wait until all major permanent teeth had come in (minus the wisdom teeth). Recent research has proven that by treating your child at a much younger age, serious misalignment problems, crowding, or bite problems can be reduced if not eliminated altogether.
Life-Changing Benefits of Interceptive Orthodontics
In Dr. Bristol-Mártir’s capable hands, interceptive orthodontics can provide benefits like these for your child:
- Improves aesthetics and self-esteem
- Reduces or eliminates the need for jaw surgery
- Lowers the risk of trauma to front teeth which protrude
- Corrects harmful oral habits
- Reduces likelihood of impacted permanent teeth
- Influences jaw growth in a positive manner
- Reduces the need to extract permanent teeth
- Guides permanent teeth into more favorable positions
Problems Treatable with Interceptive Orthodontics
The American Association of Orthodontists lists the following developing problems your child may experience that can respond well to interceptive orthodontics:
- Underbites
- Overbites
- Intense crowding
- Large gaps between teeth
- Misalignment from thumb-sucking or use of pacifiers
How Does Interceptive Orthodontics Work?
Children today tend to have underdeveloped jaws and dental arches, the circular-shaped area of the mouth which holds your child's top and bottom teeth. This underdevelopment can stem from eating an abundance of soft, processed foods, which do not require constant chewing and oral movement, two major activities that stimulate jaw and muscle growth. Thumb-sucking at an early age can also inhibit jaw development. Regardless of the reason, underdeveloped jaws and arches negatively impact the formation of your child’s teeth, which can lead to serious dental problems later, including crooked, overcrowded or overlapping teeth and a misaligned bite.
Dr. Bristol-Mártir is specially trained in using interceptive orthodontics to identify and treat problems like these in your child. After a thorough examination and imaging of your child’s mouth and teeth, she will fit him or her with a custom-made appliance. When worn as prescribed, this appliance is designed to move your child’s teeth into a more ideal position while gently guiding full and optimal development of their jaws and arches. As a result, your child’s existing teeth have a more pleasing appearance, are easier to keep clean and your child’s mouth has more room for their permanent teeth to properly emerge.
By treating these issues early, the doctor can save you and your child the trouble and expense of major orthodontic correction further up the line. (In certain cases, however, some later orthodontic work may be needed to finish the job.)
Early Diagnosis
With early imaging of your child’s developing teeth, and with Dr. Bristol-Mártir's extensive training and experience, we can predict such challenges as teeth that will be overcrowded and therefore extremely crooked when growth is complete. In this case, a custom oral appliance can widen the shape of your child’s palate and the bones of the lower jaw so that there will be sufficient room for their permanent teeth as they come in. Teeth that might otherwise have been impacted because of crowding now have a chance to erupt normally in your child’s mouth.
If you have any questions about orthodontics for your young kids, please call our office to get more information.
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