To ensure the growing smile is developing correctly, it may be necessary to implement early interceptive orthodontic treatment, often referred to as Phase 1 Treatment. Phase 1 Treatment ensures growth problems are corrected as they are happening, and not when it’s too late. At Wellington Orthodontics we may recommend a number of appliances to encourage more favourable growth for the little smile.
Baby teeth help to hold space for adult teeth to grow into. Sometimes these are lost too early, and the space can close, causing adult teeth to move into incorrect alignment, or to not come out at all. Space maintainers help to hold open the space in order to guide adult teeth into the correct position.
A common condition that occurs in young children is a poor bite due to an underdeveloped lower jaw. This can be corrected with a removable functional appliance called a Twin Block. A Twin Block is made up of two removable plates that clip onto the upper and lower teeth. While being worn, it holds the jaws slightly apart and the lower jaw in a forward position. The upper plate may also have an expansion function to enable the widening of a narrow upper jaw. Expansion can assist with additional space for crowded teeth.
Lip bumpers look a bit like a bumper on a car and are often used in cases of crowding. If you think about your tongue and lip as opposing forces pushing against each other, the lip bumper removes the lip part, which allows the tongue to push against the teeth and lower jaw unopposed. This provides gentle expansion.
There are a few removable or fixed appliances that can be used in the top jaw to provide gentle expansion. These are used to give a little extra space for those incoming adult teeth, and may also benefit crossbites, widen the smile arc and enhance air flow.
Invisalign offers a gentle way to treat a broad range of issues in growing smiles, such as crossbites, overbites and spacing.
