Don’t delay treatment if you notice a problem early.
Contrary to what your pediatric dentist or an orthodontist may tell you, waiting for all of your child’s teeth to erupt before treating can make small problems bigger and more challenging to fix later on. Adult teeth that are coming in crooked or crowded should be addressed immediately so that there will be plenty of room for all of the teeth as your child grows. We prefer to screen children around age 5 so that we can identify orthodontic problems early and provide dental treatment as soon as possible. This can minimize dental complications and help create enough room for straight teeth. Call Glen Park Dental (415) 585-1500 for an orthodontic and braces consultation.
Never take permanent teeth out.
Delaying orthodontic treatment can create bigger problems than simply crooked or crowded teeth that may be embarrassing. As baby teeth are replaced by much larger adult teeth, if there isn’t enough room for them, sometimes orthodontists will recommend taking out adult teeth in order to make everything fit. Do not take out permanent teeth because the orthodontist says so. Think carefully and seek a second opinion. If you have a mouth that is too small for all of the adult teeth, does it make sense to extract some of them, close the spaces and effectively make the mouth even smaller? Straight teeth might be the result, but possibly at a high price. By taking teeth out, the tongue space is reduced, which can cause the tongue to fall back over the airway at night. This may result in a sleeping disorder called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) later in life, a severe and serious health problem. Untreated sleep apnea (OSA) can result in a decrease in life expectancy, increase your chance of heart attack by 23 times, and make you six times more likely to suffer a stroke than the average person. Not something you would want for your child when you decide to straighten his or her teeth. There are other options to taking out permanent teeth, but early intervention is key! Call Glen Park Dental for an orthodontic consultation so we can help avoid teeth problems like this as soon as possible, (415) 585-1500.
Orthodontics can do more than straighten teeth – it can influence how your child’s face will look as an adult.
Orthodontics can actually change the shape of your child’s face and direction in which the face grows throughout life. Orthodontic treatments that include headgear, taking out permanent teeth, and rubber bands that can negatively affect the facial profile. See below example:
Headgear can cause a weak chin, gummy smile, and protruded nose because it retards the growth of the upper jaw and redirects growth of the face down and back rather than down and forward.
Glen Park Dental’s approach to orthodontics makes sure that the teeth are not straightened at the expense of the natural facial growth. Call Glen Park Dental today for a consultation so that we can assess your child’s needs and answer your questions about our unique and specialized approach to orthodontics: (415) 585-1500 or email us at smile@glenparkdental.com
