Breaking habits
Thumb sucking, lip biting or tongue thrusting – so-called habits – are specifically broken before they deform the dentition.
Straight teeth for a lifetime
Treating children calls for empathy, trust and a pleasant atmosphere in the practice. With early, regulating therapy you can spare your child more extensive measures later on.
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Gentle therapy for children and teenagers
Treating children calls for a great deal of empathy, trust and a pleasant atmosphere in the practice. We take our time so that your child feels at ease with us.
An early and regular check-up makes it possible to determine the ideal moment to start treatment on a completely individual basis – this allows us to respond effectively to growth-related changes in the dentition.
The teeth and jaws of children and teenagers are developing permanently. A particularly critical period, in which check-ups by the orthodontist and the start of therapy are sensible and important, is the phase of the change of teeth.
The earlier a developmental disorder is recognised, the faster, more effective and gentler its correction usually is.
Early treatment in the milk dentition
We recommend having the functional capability of a child's dentition examined in good time. Irregularities in the milk dentition often already point to problems in the permanent dentition. With some misaligned teeth it is advisable to begin the correction while the milk teeth are still in place.
Initial orthodontic check-ups can be sensible from the age of three to five, because at this age the milk teeth are all present and misalignments as well as dysfunctions are already recognisable.
A short course of therapy is advisable, for example, if a child lisps, has sucked its thumb for a longer period or has used a dummy for a long time.
Early treatment
The most frequent measures in the milk dentition
With early, regulating therapy you can spare your child more extensive measures later on.
Closing an anterior open bite
An open bite in the front tooth region can often still be corrected in the milk dentition without great effort.
Correcting a crossbite
A crossbite is resolved at an early stage, both in the posterior and in the anterior region.
Keeping gaps open
If a milk tooth is lost prematurely, a space maintainer keeps the gap free for the tooth that follows.
Treating a lack of space
If the jaw is too small for the teeth that follow, we create the necessary space in good time.
Supernumerary teeth
Additionally formed teeth are detected and treated in consultation with your dentist.
Treatment in the mixed dentition
The transitional phase in which milk teeth are replaced by the permanent teeth that follow is called the mixed dentition. If there were no particular findings in the milk dentition, the ideal age for the first orthodontic examination is eight to nine years.
In this phase, therapeutic steps are usually taken with removable braces such as single plates or functional orthodontic appliances, a bionator for example.
In a holistically oriented approach to orthodontics we make use of the expected pubertal growth spurt, with the development of the facial bones, in order to optimise the aesthetic appearance.
Frequent measures in the mixed dentition
- realigning tipped teeth into the dental arch
- repositioning individual teeth that are in an edge-to-edge or crossbite
- creating space for the teeth that follow
- correcting jaw misalignments, for example a retrognathic bite
The key facts at a glance
- First orthodontic check-ups are advisable from the age of three to five, once all the milk teeth are present.
- In the milk dentition, the focus is on habits such as thumb sucking, an open bite, a crossbite and lack of space.
- If a milk tooth is lost too early, a space maintainer keeps the gap open for the succeeding tooth.
- In the mixed dentition, from around the age of eight or nine, removable braces are usually used.
- The earlier a developmental problem is detected, the more easily it can generally be corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should a child first see an orthodontist?
A first check-up makes sense from the age of three to five, because by then all the milk teeth are present and misalignments as well as dysfunctions can already be recognised. If nothing unusual shows in the primary dentition, a first examination at the age of eight to nine is usually sufficient.
Does my child already need braces while it still has milk teeth?
Usually not. Early treatment makes sense for example with a crossbite, an anterior open bite, pronounced lack of space, or if a child has sucked its thumb for a long time or lisps. Whether and when treatment takes place is decided by the findings.
What happens if a milk tooth is lost too early?
The neighbouring teeth can tip into the gap and take away the space for the permanent tooth. In such cases we fit a space maintainer that keeps the gap open until the successor erupts.
Is thumb sucking bad for the teeth?
Persistent thumb sucking, lip biting or tongue thrusting can change the position of teeth and jaws; these are referred to as habits. The earlier such habits are given up, the smaller the effects on the dentition.
Which type of braces do children get?
In the primary and mixed dentition we mainly work with removable appliances such as single plates or functional orthodontic devices, for example a bionator. Fixed braces are as a rule only used once the permanent dentition is in place.