Can Crooked Teeth Be Prevented? YES.
In order to have straight teeth your child needs correct Myofunctional Habits:
Child should habitually breath through nose not though mouth
Lips together at rest
Tongue resting in roof of mouth
No muscle movement around mouth during sub-conscious swallow
No thumb, digit or non-nutritive sucking habits
Genetics, although it has a role to play, it is not the major player.
Remember it’s the Muscles of the lips, tongue and cheeks that control whether the teeth are going to be straight or not
How the forces of the Lips, Cheeks and Tongue Affect Facial Growth and Development.
Did you know?
That breastfeeding places beneficial orthopaedic forces on the jaws, similar to the forces of Functional Jaw orthopaedics.
The muscles of the Lips, Cheeks and Tongue are really the bullies, and determine bone and hence tooth alignment!
Their activity, positive or negative undoubtedly controls a child’s facial growth and development, and tooth positioning!
Parents: What to look-out for in your own child:
Is your child a Mouth Breather or Nose Breather?
Tip: Quietly observe your child sleeping at night. Are they sleeping with their mouth open or closed?
Are the lips apart at rest?
Tip: When sitting down say watching T.V., is the mouth open or closed?
Are the chin muscles being used in order to bring the lips together? Maybe termed "Pursing the lips"
Do the lips move when the child swallows, when not eating or drinking?
Does the lower lip rest on or behind the upper front teeth?
If you answered YES to any of these your child may have a Myofunctional problem.
When Should Treatment Begin?
The lower jaw completes its growth phase at approximately 20 years of age but a child’s mid face, which includes the upper jaw stops growing at approximately 12 years of age!
It is therefore imperative to capture this short ‘window of opportunity’ to promote correct muscular function, establish nasal breathing, and encourage forward facial growth, all of which not only result in a stable bite (good occlusion) and straight teeth, but greatly enhances the facial appearance .
It is now possible to help children to modify these destructive patterns and as a result not only see an improvement in the growth and development of the face, jaws, and dentition, but in their overall health and wellbeing.
What Are The Advantages Of Starting Early?
The younger we can start treatment with a child the better (5+)
They have had less time for these bad habits to become ingrained
They can benefit greatly while the mid face is still developing (note Childs Face is 60% grown by Age 4
It is easier and quicker to correct Myofunctional Disorders when the child is still growing
It is easier to establish Nasal Breathing and benefit from the all the Health consequences.
http://www.oconnordentalhealth.ie/
-------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.orthotropics.co.uk/
