Childrens Orthodontist Sydney

Child & Kids Orthodontic

“Our Early Orthodontic Treatment (Phase 1 Orthodontic Treatment) Let’s Give Your Child a Reason to Smile”

Do you worry about the structure of your child’s teeth, the way they speak, chew, or even breathe? Are they self-conscious about the way their teeth look? 

Consider early orthodontic treatment for young individuals to readily align their teeth or adjust their bite or to enhance their facial features with jaw repositioning, and eventually improve the oral health related to quality of life!

As a specialist orthodontist, Dr Tee has comprehensive knowledge on the science of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics. This means that he is not only focusing on moving teeth and creating a beautiful smile, but he also highlights the importance of the position of facial bones that influence the shape and appearance of the jaws and face. He knows how to identify orthodontic and orthopaedic problems early on, and to then determine the appropriate timing and methods for early intervention.

At OrthoBoutique, we offer early orthodontic treatments (phase 1 or interceptive orthodontic treatments) for growing children who shows early signs of malalignment, bite issues and jaw size discrepancy. Early diagnosis and intervention can be very useful, and if prescribed correctly, can help simplify or even eliminate some future orthodontic/orthopaedics problems. In many cases, early orthodontic treatments can completely eliminate the need for future jaw surgery or tooth extractions.

Therefore, It is important to assess the growth of a child at an early age, around age eight to nine, to ensure the proper development of the face and jaws, and to detect problems in advance and address any dental or facial abnormalities as soon as possible. In growing children, both the maxilla (upper jaw) and mandible (lower jaw) are still forming, and the bones have not yet completely hardened. The bones are more pliable and can more easily be altered. Facial orthopaedics with functional appliances can improve poorly developing jaw and facial proportions in all three dimensions. It is best to build the foundations in a correct position to allow the permanent teeth to meet properly. 

Types of Early Orthodontic Treatments

At OrthoBoutique, we offer a wide range of orthodontic treatments to children, including a dental expander, palatal expander, and upper jaw expander. We also offer orthodontic plates and other removable orthodontic/orthopaedic appliances that can be considered as options for overbite and underbite treatments.

• Fixed expanders (Hyrax or Rapid maxillary expander)
  This appliance can be used to address orthodontic problems in transverse dimension such as a narrow upper jaw resulting in a posterior crossbite. Force applied by the expander will assist in the widening of the upper jaw. This procedure will additionally create more space which can be a useful way of relieving crowding dentition, diminishing the need for tooth extractions. 

• Functional appliances (Twin Blocks and Herbst) 
  Functional appliances can be either removable or fixed devices. Functional appliances are worn for a certain period, with the main goal to exert pressure on the developing facial bones and encourage proper growth and development of facial structures. With this method, we can utilise forces arising from muscle function, tooth eruption, and growth in order to improve skeletal and dental relationships. For example, Twin Blocks, if worn correctly, can help bring the lower jaw forward to meet the upper jaw in patients with retrusive lower jaw and excessive overbite/overjet. 

When to See an Orthodontist for Early Orthodontic Treatments

It is challenging to tell whether children need orthodontic treatments, but crooked or crowded baby teeth may predict a future orthodontic problem. Other signs include jaws that click or make sounds, often biting the inside of the cheek or tongue, breathing through the mouth, late or early loss of baby teeth, teeth not coming together when the mouth is closed, and little ones using a pacifier or sucking their thumb past the age of two.

Children may need teeth braces to achieve oral benefits because of genetics, poor dental hygiene or insufficient nutrition as infants and toddlers. It is better to deal with the problem as soon as possible to improve the outcome. We recommend that kids see our orthodontist when they turn eight or nine or once they have all their permanent teeth. A check-up can’t hurt, even if there are no visible issues.

Why Trust OrthoBoutique for Children Orthodontics?

Our principal orthodontist, Dr Tee, underwent three additional years of specialist training and obtained a doctorate in clinical dentistry in Orthodontics from the University of Melbourne. He has been in the field of dentistry for more than ten years. One of the reasons he became a specialist orthodontist is because he particularly enjoys working with kids and looking after their orthodontic needs. He is a young and passionate professional. His friendliness and approachable manner when giving explanations and providing orthodontic treatments make young patients (kids, early and late teens) feel comfortable and relaxed throughout their early orthodontic journey. Hence, you can trust our specialist orthodontist whether you need to establish a good foundation for your child’s jaw structures with a dental/palatal expander or removable orthodontic plates, or reduce your child’s orthodontic complexities of teeth and bites without the need for future tooth extractions and jaw surgery.

Contact us for reputable EARLY ORTHODONTIC SERVICES or CHILD BRACES today!