Last Updated: March 19, 2025
Orthodontic treatments in children play a critical role in maintaining oral health and ensuring the proper development of teeth. You can ensure that your children have healthy smiles with early intervention.
Childhood orthodontic treatments include interventions aimed at early diagnosis and correction of dental and jaw problems. These treatments, which are applied before the permanent dentition (7-10 years of age), are called protective and preventive orthodontic treatments. The aim of these treatments is to protect oral health, create sufficient space for permanent teeth, and eliminate existing tooth and jaw disorders.To prevent it from getting worse and thus to alleviate the difficult treatments that will be required in the future.
One of the most common problems in childhood is the lack of space that permanent teeth cannot erupt. In addition to causing aesthetic defects as a result of crowded teeth, lack of space may cause permanent teeth to remain impacted. Shortness of space usually occurs as a result of early loss of primary teeth or jaw retardation/narrowness. For this reason, pre-permanent dentition treatment goals in children can be grouped under two main headings:
1. Elimination of space narrowness with chin expansion treatments
2. Removing crookedness by straightening teeth
Jaw stenosis in children may be caused by reasons such as sleeping with the mouth open at night, thumb sucking, snoring, nasal congestion or genetic factors. If left untreated, this condition can lead to more serious dental and jaw problems in the coming years. In order for jaw stenosis to be treated permanently, the underlyingThe cause must be eliminated; orthodontic treatments alone cannot be a permanent solution. The aim of jaw expansion treatments is to ensure the size balance between the jaws and to eliminate the lack of space by expanding the infrastructure on which the teeth sit.
Early decay or extraction of milk teeth causes shifts in other teeth to close the gap. These unwanted shifts create a lack of space in the jaws and may cause permanent teeth to remain impacted. In childhood orthodontic treatments, the main purpose of straightening teeth is to provide sufficient space for permanent teeth to grow.
Transparent aligners are preferred in childhood orthodontic treatments due to their aesthetics and ease of use. The advantages of transparent aligners are:
– It is aesthetic thanks to its almost invisible structure.
– It does not irritate the lips as there are no protruding metal parts.
– Thanks to precision production with laser cutting, it fits the teeth perfectly and does not cause speech difficulties.
– Faster and more predictable results are targeted thanks to artificial intelligence-supported digital planning.
– During the meala can be easily removed and cleaned.
– It allows the teeth to be straightened at the same time as the jaws are expanded, making shorter treatment times possible.
During childhood orthodontic treatments, milk teeth are mostly found in the mouth. The proper alignment of milk teeth thanks to the treatments during this period does not mean that the permanent teeth that will erupt through the jaw will also be in the ideal location and position. After all the permanent teeth are replaced (mostly at age 12 and over), complementary orthodontic treatment may be needed. Childhood orthodontic treatments aim to alleviate the difficult treatments that will be required in later ages.
Jaw stenosis is usually caused by reasons such as sleeping with the mouth open at night, thumb sucking, snoring or genetic factors.
Jaw stenosis is treated with jaw expansion treatments. These treatments aim to ensure the size balance between the jaws and to eliminate the lack of space by expanding the infrastructure on which the teeth sit. However, if the main cause of jaw stenosis (sleeping with open mouth, thumb sucking, snoring, nasal congestion, etc.) is not eliminated, a permanent result may not be possible.
Yes, transparent aligners are suitable for children due to their aesthetics and ease of use. Since there are no protruding metal parts, it does not disturb the lips and fits perfectly on the teeth thanks to laser cutting and precision production.
Childhood orthodontic treatments can be completed in as little as 3-12 months with the use of transparent aligners.
Regular checks should be made after treatment and the replacement of permanent teeth should be monitored. Complementary orthodontic treatment may be needed.
Yes, complementary orthodontic treatment may be required after all the permanent teeth are replaced. Childhood treatments aim to alleviate the difficult treatments that will be required at later ages.