Early Orthodontic Treatment

Early orthodontic treatment in Lakeville MN, Eagan MN, or Prior Lake MN gives Dr. Joseph Basile the opportunity to complete a portion of your child’s treatment while he or she still has baby teeth. Although you may not remember seeing braces on pre-teen children when you were growing up, orthodontists have determined that the teeth, jaw, and gums are much more pliable at younger ages.

Children who receive early orthodontic treatment sometimes do so in two phases. We describe what tp expect during each phase below.

First Phase Early Orthodontic Treatment

Kids who undergo early orthodontic treatment do not necessarily wear braces during the first phase. This is the time between approximately seven and 10 years old when children have a combination of primary and permanent teeth. Below are some typical interventions we may recommend for pre-teen children.

Braces and Headgear

Traditional braces are an ideal treatment option for children who have crooked or crowded teeth, missing teeth, a gap between teeth, an overbite, or an underbite. Patients who need extra support wear headgear at night that attaches to a wire loop on the brackets covering your child’s back molar teeth. Clear aligners may be an alternative to traditional braces for children who do not need the extra support of headgear and who do not have severe misalignment issues.

Palatal Expander

Children whose jaw is not wide enough for permanent teeth to erupt need to widen their jaw by wearing a palatal expander. This device creates additional space in your child’s mouth for permanent teeth to erupt without issue.

Tongue Crib Appliance

Prolonged pacifier use or thumb sucking during childhood can set your child up for significant oral health issues later in life, such as improper tooth alignment requiring orthodontic correction. Children who continue these behaviors eventually begin thrusting their tongue, which is a leading cause of misalignment. The tongue crib appliance sits over the roof of the mouth and prevents children from engaging in harmful oral health habits.

The Waiting Period and Second Phase of Treatment

Once your child completes the early phase of treatment, Dr. Joseph Basile removes their braces, palatal expander, or tongue crib appliance and waits a few years to begin the second phase of treatment if needed. Your child should keep up with regular dental and orthodontic exams during this time to ensure that everything is on track to start and complete the last half of their orthodontic treatment.

The typical age for teenagers to start wearing braces is around age 13 after all the primary teeth have fallen out and all the molar teeth have erupted. Thanks to receiving treatment earlier in childhood, most teenage patients do not have to wear braces for 24 months or longer like they would have otherwise.

Benefits and Considerations of Early-Phase Orthodontic Treatment

Below are just some of the advantages of your child starting orthodontic treatment before the teen years.

• Ability to treat facial asymmetry before it becomes permanent and makes your child feel self-conscious.
• Dr. Basile can correct your child’s bite issues and skeletal abnormalities in the jaw before the permanent teeth erupt.
• Prevents the need to extract certain teeth as an adult in some cases.
• Reduces the time commitment and complexity of second-phase treatment.
• Some oral health conditions are easier to treat while skeletal growth is still taking place.

As with all major health decisions, you need to consider whether early orthodontic treatment is right for your child. For example, does your son or daughter have the maturity to take good care of their oral appliance and commit to thoroughly brushing and flossing their teeth each day? Are you willing to supervise your child throughout orthodontic treatment?

Not all children who undergo first phase orthodontic treatment need a second phase. However, it is important to have realistic expectations and understand that your child may need more work in a few years.

Learn More About Early Orthodontic Treatment During a Personal Consultation

We enjoy working with children and invite questions from their parents. Please contact our dental practice closest to you to request a time to speak to Dr. Basile about early orthodontic treatment in Eagan MN, Prior Lake MN, or Lakeville MN.