Orthodontic treatment designed to perfectly fit
each individual patient's needs.

Children's Orthodontic Treatment

If signs of malocclusion are found during the dental checkups of either pre-school or school-age children, parents are encouraged to consult an orthodontist.

Orthodontic treatment was originally intended to treat the alignment and occlusion of children's teeth.

Nowadays, it has also become common for adults to receive orthodontic treatment. However, treating these conditions early in children prevents things such as skeletal abnormalities and gaps where adult teeth have been extracted.

In the vast majority of cases, we can judge whether or not orthodontic treatment is necessary for a child during the first consultation (at no charge). If treatment is necessary, we can also determine the cost and length of time the treatment will take during this free consultation.

If an indication of malocclusion is found during your child's dental checkup, please feel free to book a free consulation with us.

Why Orthodontic Treatment is Recommended for Children

Compared to adults, children's bones are softer, have more elasticity and potential for future growth.

As a child develops adult teeth their child teeth and, in particualr, their jaw bone are soft. This means that treatment can be carried out much more easily compared adults and, in many cases, removing teeth can be avoided. It also means that any skeletal deformities can be treated, which would not be possible for adult patients.

Compared to adult orthodontic patients, children do not experience as much pain or discomfort during their treatment. It is also much cheaper to treat children and takes a lot less time.

The Ideal Time to Start Treatment

Overbite/Due the child sucking their fingers : From around 3 years old
Underbite/Due to a lack space of permanent teeth (crowding) : From around 6 years old

Cases That Require Immediate Treatment

Underbite

Everyone thinks small children have cute faces because the growth of the lower jaw is slower than that of the upper jaw. For girls, the upper jaw stops growing during elementary school and for boys during high school. Underbite can hinder the growth of the jaw resulting in it becoming mishapen.

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Teeth Crowding

This occurs when the chin is too small to accommodate the growing teeth.

In adults, it is not possible to treat this without removing teeth. However, for children, as their jaw grows, their teeth can be perfectly aligned using a corrective device they only need to wear at night.

night

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after

Crossbite

This is the opposite occlusion of the back teeth. There may be crooked tooth alignment where occlusions are shifted to the left and right. This could result in the child's chin and face becoming bent to the right or left.

In normal occlusion, the arch of the upper jaw is larger than the lower jaw. The upper jaw should cover the lower jaw, but crossbite is a phenomenon in which the lower jaw becomes wider than the upper jaw where back teeth grow.

Often, dental checkups are overlooked for 3 year-olds. However, if problems are not treated early, the face could grow asymmetrically.

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The Role of Parents

Habits such as nail biting, biting the lower lip, chewing a pencil, sucking fingers while sleeping may look harmless, but can have an effect on a child's soft jaw bone and cause dental issues.

Therefore it is important that parents look out for and try to prevent these kinds of habits in children.

Parents should also make sure children understand the importance of keeping their teeth healthy through brushing and through appropriate eating habits.

Many patients who have undergone treatment at our clinic have also brought their children for a consultation.

Please feel free to use our free consultation service as it is not always possible for parents to judge whether or not their child is in need of treatment.

Free First Consultation Information