Early Orthodontic Treatment

Early Orthodontic Treatment, San Ramon, CA

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child see an orthodontist by age 7, and perhaps earlier if an orthodontic concern is identified. Around age 7, the first adult molars typically erupt, helping to define a patient’s back bite and allowing the orthodontist to more effectively evaluate the bite. Treatment at this age may not be necessary, but orthodontic monitoring can help anticipate the ideal timeline for the most effective treatment and also help to prevent more serious problems in the future.

There are many reasons a person may need orthodontic treatment. Although having a more beautiful smile is always one outcome, there are many other extremely important reasons to get braces. Correct tooth alignment is critical to healthy teeth, and good oral health is critical to our overall health. Good oral health helps to prevent many diseases and allows us to enjoy a healthy diet and feel good about ourselves when we smile.

Some Results of Effective Early Treatment:

  • Reducing the need for tooth removal
  • Creating space for crowded, erupting teeth
  • Reducing the risk of injury to protruding front teeth
  • Preserving needed space for permanent teeth
  • Reducing future orthodontic treatment time

Some orthodontic conditions requiring braces include:

Gaps between the teeth allow food particles to more easily get stuck and can also cause abnormal jaw growth or gum recession.

Gaps

Overbite is the term used when the top teeth are too far forward to correctly make contact with the lower teeth. This can be caused by thumb or finger sucking, or simply by genetics or specific bone development patterns. This condition can lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems (causing pain in the jaw) or cause unhealthy wear patterns in the teeth.

Over

Underbite is the term used when the lower teeth are further forward than the upper teeth. It can be caused by irregular jaw growth in either the upper or lower jaw, or both. Missing upper teeth can also contribute to the development of an underbite. This condition can lead to TMJ problems (with pain in the jaw) or cause unhealthy wear patterns in the teeth.

Underbite

In a healthy bite, the outside ridge of the lower teeth will make contact with the middle of the upper teeth. A crossbite occurs when some of the lower teeth edges are outside of the upper teeth edges. This can be result of the upper and lower jaws being misaligned. This condition can cause unhealthy wear patterns on the teeth, gum disease and bone loss.

Cross

Open Bite describes the condition that occurs when several upper and lower teeth are unable to make contact with each other. This can be caused by thumb or finger sucking, or simply by genetics or specific bone development patterns. An open bite can make it difficult (or even painful) to bite or chew and can sometimes interfere with speech. This condition can also lead to TMJ problems.

OpenBite

Overcrowding occurs when there is not enough space in the mouth for all of the teeth to fit with correct alignment. There are several ways this condition may be treated but it is important to treat because crowded or crooked teeth can make it difficult to brush and floss to maintain oral health. Failure to correct crowded teeth may result in increased gum disease and tooth decay. Crowded teeth may become more crooked over time.

Crowd