As your son or daughter’s permanent teeth begin to replace their baby teeth, you may notice that the teeth don’t quite line up correctly, or perhaps during a routine dental exam, x-rays show poor alignment.
The misalignment of teeth is known as malocclusion, and if left untreated it can cause problems with your child’s oral health throughout their life. Potential problems can range from minor to serious.
Non-Hereditary Causes of Malocclusion
Many children from the age of six or seven through young adulthood have problems with the alignment of their teeth to varying degrees, and most malocclusions are hereditary. Some non-hereditary causes include:
- Prolonged use of bottle feeding or a pacifier
- Thumb sucking beyond a certain age
- Injuries or illnesses that cause misalignment of the jaw
- Tumors in the mouth or jaw
- Misshaped or impacted teeth
- Poor dental care
- Poor oral hygiene
Diagnosis of Malocclusions
Once diagnosed, your dentist will classify your child’s malocclusion by type and severity. The classifications are class one, two and three. Class one is the most common, least severe and occurs when the upper teeth slightly overlap the lower teeth, leaving the alignment standard.
Class two malocclusion is more serious and happens when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth significantly. The jaw is also severely misaligned. The official name for this condition is retrognathism.
A diagnosis of class three is almost the reverse of class two. This condition is called prognathism and involves a severe underbite because the lower jaw juts forward causing the lower teeth to overlap the upper teeth.
Treatment and Fixes
If your child has a mild malocclusion, he or she may not need any treatment. If a more serious condition exists, however, your dentist will send you to an orthodontist. The orthodontist will match the best treatment for the problem.
The fix could include braces to align the teeth, pulling some teeth to reduce overcrowding, reshaping the teeth using a variety of methods, or in some cases surgery to reshape the jaw.
Treatment takes several years and stages. You will see your orthodontist every one or two months.
The process is a serious commitment and can seem daunting, especially to your child, but when you both see the final results, the inconvenience fades away. You can’t help feeling joyful when someone you love has the confidence to show their beautiful smile.
Remember the importance of early treatment — the earlier the better — but also bear in mind that many adults can benefit from improved oral health, particularly adults who have previously had orthodontic treatment and relapsed into problems.
If you want to gain confidence in your smile, then give us a call today!