Our grandmothers already said it. Something as seemingly harmless as thumb sucking or prolonged use of a pacifier can alter jaw development and tooth alignment at an early age. It is then -and not later- when it is necessary to apply corrections and set guidelines and good habits, because, as surely our grandmothers also apostilled, it is better to be safe as a child than to be sorry as an adult. And dental health is no exception.
Beyond aesthetics, dental problems can influence the growth of children in different ways, more or less direct, and lead to pathologies that are more difficult to address in adulthood. We are talking about more severe disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea in adulthood. Acting at an early age, orthodontic treatments can correct malformations that, in adults, can only be solved by a combined treatment of orthodontics and maxillofacial surgery.
When we talk about dental health, we talk about nutrition, habits, speech and language development and, of course, dental alignment problems and malocclusion. These can cause bite problems and thus affect facial growth and the proper function of the mouth. This is what Dr. Estela Arias, Medical Director of Impress, the number 1 chain of orthodontic clinics in Europe, highlights.
The temporary dentition of children – that is, the growth of the teeth through the gums of the mouth of babies and young children – presents a series of morphological and functional characteristics that condition the harmonious and stable development of the permanent dentition. These characteristics, explains Dr. Arias, can be altered by diet, habits and diseases, which act from birth and have repercussions during the evolutionary process of mixed and permanent dentitions.
Occlusion alterations usually start at an early age, even under seven years of age, which gives an idea of the magnitude of the problem and the importance of identifying, applying measures and not waiting. “There is no doubt that the recognition, diagnosis, prevention and early treatment of factors that can lead to the development of malocclusions, by the General Dentist, Pediatric Dentist or Orthodontist greatly minimize the alteration or damage”, explains Dr. Arias.
Eating, speaking, pronouncing, chewing, swallowing, smiling -including all facial expressions-, breathing, kissing or sucking are physiological functions that depend on the stomatognathic system which, at the same time, is interrelated with neighboring areas, where they can also be prevented. secondary disorders such as headaches, muscle pain, neck pain, etc., which later appear in adults.
As we can see, behind a malocclusion there is much more than just misaligned teeth, so the sooner corrective measures are applied, the faster, easier and better the results will be seen and these, in the vast majority of cases, will be for life. . "The general practitioner and the pediatric dentist are the professionals who will be able to examine and evaluate the evolution of the dentition of children at a very early age, which favors the detection and correction of these alterations", adds Dr. Arias.
In order to understand the dentomaxillary anomalies typical of childhood, the concept of 'malocclusion' must first be defined. For this, it is important to use as a reference what is understood as 'normal occlusion', which generally corresponds to the most balanced type of occlusion to fulfill the masticatory function and preserve the integrity of the dentition. To correct the 'malocclusion', there are different types of treatments, being orthodontics the best known and used.
As Dr. Arias explains, the least invasive is what is called preventive treatment. That is, the elimination of habits in children with temporary teeth. Secondly, we find the intercepted treatment, which helps to facilitate the eruption of permanent teeth and improve the size and arrangement of the maxillary bones in growth age. Thirdly, there is corrective treatment, which is applied in patients with complete permanent dentition.
Orthodontics is the necessary treatment so that patients can bite correctly. Its main objective is the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of bone and dental malocclusions. There are several types according to the needs: orthopedics, conventional and aesthetic fixed orthodontics, and invisible orthodontics with aligners is one of the most demanded solutions, as highlighted by Impress, specialists in invisible orthodontics. We are talking about a personalized aligner that contains detailed information about the movement that must be carried out on each tooth until it is correctly positioned.
The Impress aligners material is made up of three layers with different strengths and flexibility, which makes them adapt to the teeth in a natural way without generating sudden movements. In this way, the teeth move little by little when we change aligners, versus the force generated by the brackets, which move the teeth more abruptly, causing pain and discomfort, especially for the little ones.
In addition to being a transparent treatment -and, therefore, more aesthetic-, it is comfortable, safe and removable, that is, it can be easily removed. Its use does not require restrictions when eating, nor does it cause irritation to the mouth or gums. Another advantage is that it reduces the risk of caries compared to other devices and does not require an adaptation period, with early results with shorter treatments.
