The Impact of Early Orthodontics Treatment on Overall Health

Orthodontics is more than just braces and crooked teeth. It also covers myriad conditions dealing with the jaw, facial muscles, and airways. Proper treatment can alleviate ailments such as snoring, recessed jawlines, and even sleep apnea.

Here’s why it’s important to see an orthodontist even before all the baby teeth are gone, what sort of treatments are available, and some valuable information on often-overlooked areas of orthodontia.

Why See an Orthodontist Before the Baby Teeth Fall Out

The manner in which a child’s teeth come together (especially if he has a deep bite or under bite), his breathing, and his sleeping habits are sometimes telltale signs there's a craniofacial imbalance and/or orofacial muscular imbalance that needs to be addressed. A lot of the time, when there's an imbalance, a small bit of treatment at a young age (starting as early as age 4 or 5) makes all the difference in the world!

Other important signs to look for in your child include:

• Thumb sucking or tongue thrusting habits
• Very deep bite or under bite
• Mouth breathing during the day and/or night
• Snoring
• Poor sleep quality, which could possibly indicate sleep apnea
• Speech problems
• Inability to pay attention at school
• Possible bed wetting
• Sudden diagnosis of ADD or ADHD
• Difficulty breathing through the nose

These things indicate there is a need to see the orthodontist who can take a closer look at the jaws, teeth, tongue posture, swallowing and breathing patterns, and the child’s overall growth and development.

Proper craniofacial function and development is intimately related to the airway. I do early interceptive orthodontics to address certain issues and work closely with other practitioners including ENT's and myofunctional therapists to put a proper treatment plan together with the goal of restoring function and growth.

Treatments for Early Interceptive Orthodontics

There are many treatments that fall under the category of early interceptive orthodontics, but these two are very common.