Early intervention orthodontics: Smiles all round

Early intervention can help to resolve children’s functional and aesthetic dental issues more quickly and easily. In this expert guide, highly respected American-trained orthodontist Dr Anton Bass of the Bass Orthodontics clinic sheds light on the aims of early intervention orthodontics and how it can benefit children’s dental health. The renowned specialist also details the most common forms of early orthodontic intervention and the ideal age for children to be assessed.

What is the purpose of early intervention orthodontics?

Early intervention orthodontic treatment is an orthopaedic approach to developing teeth and jaws to make the best framework for all of the teeth to fit, helping to achieve the best smile without any compromise in function or the long term health of the teeth and mouth.

Early intervention applies to the period before we would use traditional braces to move teeth into their final positions. One of the aims during development of the teeth and jaws is to identify issues with the jaws and modify their structure so that a good framework is in place as the teeth develop.

For example, if a child has an upper jaw which is not developing properly or is very narrow, there’s potential for crowding, as well as functional issues like crossbite. In such a case, using an orthopaedic brace can help to expand and develop the upper jaw. This is beneficial for two reasons:

• it develops the jaw so that it fits with the lower jaw, correcting the crossbite and providing the function that we want later in life
• more space is created so that we can avoid having to take adult teeth out later on

Another key purpose of early intervention orthodontics is to identify issues with teeth which are still developing in the jaw. Some problems which can affect the teeth as they develop, such as becoming impacted or stuck, can be seen with certain types of X-ray. Picking up these local issues early on is very helpful as there are many simple measures we can take at that stage to resolve any problems, allowing the teeth to grow into the mouth as they should.

Can early intervention orthodontics avoid the need for braces later in life?

Early intervention orthodontics can minimise the need for braces later on. Early intervention can mean that this treatment is much simpler and far less invasive, for example, not needing to extract teeth.

Early intervention orthodontics does not usually completely negate the need for braces. It is not about moving the teeth into their final positions but rather creating the framework for teeth to grow in as best they can naturally and minimising the problems that would otherwise occur.

There are occasional cases where early orthodontic intervention means that braces are not required later on, but some simple tooth correction may still be needed.

Who is a suitable candidate for early intervention orthodontics?

The best candidates for early intervention are children of around eight or nine years of age. Getting an expert assessment around that age is very beneficial. The earliest I usually see patients is around seven years old. At that stage the signs of potential issues can often be identified and dealt with or the optimum time to commence can be planned.

What procedures or treatments are involved in early intervention orthodontics?

As part of early intervention, we often use orthopaedic braces. We frequently use upper or lower expander braces which help to develop each part of the jaw and others to encourage the mandible to develop forward to improve the facial appearance and adult smile. These are sometimes known as functional braces and the kind which I use in my own practice are usually quite simple and streamlined. As they are just attached only to the very back teeth, there’s not much on display and patients often get on very well with them. They are often able to wear them for twenty-four hours a day without any kind of intrusion on their daily life.

Other types of treatment may be as simple as having one or two baby teeth extracted by your general dentist in order to allow teeth to grow in the correct path.

What age is too young for orthodontic treatment or braces?

It is hard to give a minimum age as tooth development can vary so much. I have rarely treated patients below the age of seven and typically, the earliest treatment or procedure may be performed around eight years old.

If you think your child could benefit from early intervention orthodontics and wish to schedule a consultation with Dr Bass, you can do so by visiting his Top Doctors profile.