7 Signs Indicating Changes in Jaw Growth
When you hear the word orthodontics, you usually associate it with braces and teeth alignment. However, there is a very important area in Orthodontics focused on the position and size of the facial bones. This is Dentofacial Orthopedics. As we grow, both the maxilla and the mandible grow in three dimensions. This growth determines the final positioning of the midface and lower face.
However, when skeletal and muscular imbalances are detected in children and adolescents, Dentofacial Orthopedics comes into action to address these changes at an early stage. Why should these problems be resolved early? Because, in many cases, waiting for all the permanent teeth to erupt or waiting for facial growth to be complete can make correcting these problems more difficult or even limited. Essentially, the goal is to intercept the problem at an early stage and normalize the relationship between the bony bases that house the teeth.
Though it is not easy for parents to recognize if their child needs this type of treatment, there are signs that may indicate changes in the growth and development of the face, which we will list below.
- Mouth breathing;
- Difficulty chewing or biting food;
- Persistent thumb or pacifier sucking habits;
- Crooked or severely protruding teeth;
- Speech changes;
- Early loss of baby teeth (e.g., due to decay) or prolonged retention of baby teeth;
- Lack of proportion of the jaws with the rest of the face (e.g., large or small chin).
Thus, depending on the diagnosed problem, a treatment plan may be prescribed. This involves one or more appliances, fixed or removable, that will manipulate the growth/development of the facial bone bases.
The direct results of these treatments include the correction of skeletal and functional deviations, such as:
- Guiding the eruption of permanent teeth into the correct position;
- Controlling the width of the dental arches, preventing or correcting crossbites;
- Creating more space for aligned teeth;
- Avoiding the need for future extraction of permanent teeth.
And indirectly, improvements are achieved in other elements of the stomatognathic system, notably in chewing efficiency, swallowing, breathing, and speech.
However, not all cases require interceptive treatment before all baby teeth are replaced, but all should be monitored and treated when indicated.
Therefore, it is important for parents to bring their children for an orthodontic evaluation starting at 6/7 years of age and to maintain monitoring appointments during growth.
