Recognize and eliminate "developmental disorders".
As an orthodontic practice, we see our role not only in the treatment of “crooked teeth”, but also in the prevention and early detection of anomalies. Preventive measures can already be initiated in the primary and early mixed dentition and consist of Educating parents, recognizing harmful habits, so-called “habits” and using special therapeutic aids to stop the “habits”.
Thumb sucking, lip biting and nail biting can lead to misalignment of the jaw or teeth. Parafunctions such as speech, language and swallowing disorders also lead to misalignment of the jaws and/or teeth. Speech errors with “S” and “Z”, “infantile swallowing” and mouth breathing are treated together with speech therapists. Early loss of milk teeth, e.g. due to tooth decay or accidents, requires treatment in most cases.
To prevent your child’s jaw or teeth from developing incorrectly at an early stage, it is recommended that you arrange a first orthodontic check-up at the age of 3.
Children from 3 years
Thumb suckers may look cute, but unfortunately thumbs, fingers, soothers, feeding bottles and Teddy’s ears are foreign objects in the mouth.
Sucking bodies interfere with the normal development of teeth and jaws and cause functional and health problems.
The consequences: open bite, crossbite, protruding teeth, narrow jaw. The child cannot bite properly, has a lisp and breathes through the mouth instead of the nose and therefore often has a cold.
Early treatment with an oral vestibule plate can help to break these harmful sucking habits.
Children between 4 and 9 years old
The milk teeth are placeholders for the permanent teeth developing underneath them. If a milk molar is lost prematurely, the first permanent molar tilts into this gap and prevents the next one from breaking through. This tooth then grows incorrectly later on and must either be painstakingly aligned orthodontically or even extracted. A space maintainer inserted immediately can effectively prevent this tooth position anomaly.
Congenital misaligned teeth or jaws require treatment at an early age. With an open bite, the incisors gape wide apart. Biting is practically impossible.
An anterior step is caused by the lower jaw being set back and protruding upper incisors. In a lateral crossbite, the lower jaw is displaced to one side and the molars bite together incorrectly. In frontal crossbite, the upper incisors bite behind the lower incisors instead of over them. Early treatment is particularly important in this case in order to avoid inhibiting the growth of the upper jaw.
Frequently asked questions about early treatment for children
When should my child start seeing an orthodontist?
An initial orthodontic check-up is advisable from the age of around 3 years. At this early stage, we can detect developmental disorders of the jaw and teeth in good time and initiate preventive measures if necessary. In this way, many later problems can be significantly mitigated or even avoided.
How can I as a parent recognize that early treatment might be necessary?
Typical warning signs include persistent thumb sucking, nail biting, lip biting or pronounced mouth breathing. Lisping, frequent colds due to mouth breathing, a visible open bite, protruding incisors or a crossbite can also be indications. If you notice such abnormalities, we recommend an early orthodontic examination to steer your child’s growth in the right direction.
What are "habits" and why are they problematic for the teeth?
Habits” are harmful habits such as thumb sucking, constantly sucking on bottles or pacifiers and nail biting. These foreign objects in the mouth can disrupt the normal development of the jaw and teeth and lead to open bites, narrow jaws or protruding incisors. The earlier you recognize these habits and break them, the easier it is to achieve healthy bite development.
How can an oral vestibule plate help my child?
An oral vestibular plate is a special orthodontic appliance that is placed in the mouth in front of the teeth. It helps to break harmful sucking habits such as thumb or pacifier sucking by making the habit less attractive and normalizing lip and tongue function. At the same time, it supports the correct development of the jaw and teeth before misalignments become entrenched.
What happens if a baby tooth is lost too early?
Milk teeth are important placeholders for the permanent teeth that follow. If a milk molar is lost too early, the permanent molar often tilts into the resulting gap and blocks the space for the next tooth. This tooth has to be placed later at great expense or, in the worst case, can even be removed. A space maintainer inserted in good time can prevent this malformation and ensure the correct position of the teeth.
Which tooth and jaw misalignments are treated in early treatment?
In early treatment, we focus primarily on malocclusions that would have an unfavorable effect on further growth. These include, for example, open bites, pronounced anterior tooth steps with protruding incisors, lateral crossbites or frontal crossbites. With targeted early treatment, we can guide jaw growth and often significantly reduce later, more extensive measures.
How does the first consultation for my child work?
At the beginning, we will talk to you and your child in a calm atmosphere about any complaints, habits and questions you may have. We will then examine your teeth, jaw position and lip and tongue function and decide whether immediate treatment is advisable or whether initial check-ups will suffice. If treatment is necessary, we will explain the next steps to you and discuss which appliances can be used.
Are there any costs for the first consultation?
Regardless of whether you have statutory or private insurance, the first consultation is covered by your health insurance. This means that every patient – whether young or old – can receive sound orthodontic advice without having to take any financial risk. Only if you would like the diagnostic documentation to be started immediately after the detailed examination will costs be incurred, which may or may not be covered by your health insurance, depending on your insurance policy. In this case, we work with the
Does health insurance cover the costs of early treatment?
In the case of pronounced misaligned teeth or jaws, statutory health insurance can cover the costs of necessary early treatment if certain degrees of severity are met. Private health insurances and supplementary insurances have their own regulations, which are specified in the contract. We will be happy to advise you personally as to whether costs can be covered in your case and which documents are required.
Will my child still have to wear braces later if they were treated early?
Early treatment does not always completely replace later treatment in the permanent dentition. The main aim is to control growth in a favorable way, avoid serious maldevelopments and facilitate later treatment. However, further, usually much simplified treatment with loose or fixed braces is often necessary in adolescence in order to finally stabilize the dentition.
