Dental malocclusions in children can result in a serious array of problems, such as:
While dental malocclusions can certainly be treated with orthodontics, we can attempt to guide jaw formation and teeth eruption to decrease the need and length of orthodontic treatment. Growth modulation can help spot and correct such bite problems in children.
With that said, growth modulation cannot always entirely prevent malocclusion. It can, however, reduce the severity of the condition and hence simplify treatment. For example, a problem that might require corrective surgery in future can be treated in a much more non-invasive and gentle way.
You will first meet for a consult with Dr Nicole Ann Lee to give you an idea of what can be done. It depends on whether your child has a tendency for an underbite, overbite or has a very narrow arch. For children with bugs bunny teeth with a narrow arch, an upper removal appliance can be worn. The palate is expanded sideways with a plastic device, while the upper front teeth are retracted with a wire. This guides the eruption of this child’s teeth and prevents the occurrence of a traumatic bite.
While this procedure may sound scary, growth modulation treatment should not be painful or uncomfortable at all in the hands of a trained pediatric dentist. Our paediatric dentist, Dr Nicole Ann Lee, works especially well with children, including children with special needs.
In order for treatment to be successful, however, patient compliance is extremely important.
With the correct treatment protocol, children can enjoy several advantages of growth mod treatment such as:
