Give Your Child the Best Start with Early Orthodontic Treatment
IN VESTAL, NY

Early orthodontic treatment allows us to identify and address potential problems before they worsen. By examining your child's teeth and jaw at an early age, we can detect any signs of malocclusion or bite problems. This early evaluation helps us develop a personalized treatment plan to mitigate developing issues, if necessary. Our highly trained and experienced orthodontist will determine the appropriate time to begin orthodontic treatment for your child.

One of the conservative treatment measures we offer at Muench Orthodontics is palatal expansion. This approach allows us to gently guide and direct the growth of your child's jaw, ensuring that their upper and lower teeth fit together properly. Palatal expansion can address a variety of issues, including crowding, crossbite, protruded front teeth, open bite, underbite, narrow smile, and sleep-disordered breathing.

Early orthodontic treatment aims to correct orthodontic issues during your child's growth phase. It is recommended by the American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists that each child have an evaluation by an orthodontist around the age of 7. This evaluation helps identify any bite problems and offers a proactive treatment plan to address them. While not all children require early orthodontic treatment, it's essential to monitor their oral development to ensure timely intervention if necessary.

Palatal expansion is a common form of early orthodontic treatment. It is often needed to create more space in the palate for larger, permanent teeth. If your child has a thumb-sucking habit or has used a pacifier past the age of 2, it may narrow the palate and cause the front teeth to protrude. Palatal expansion helps widen the upper arch, avoiding the need for extracting permanent teeth and promoting proper alignment.

A palatal expander, a custom-made fixed appliance, is used in this treatment. The expander gently applies pressure on the upper arch, gradually creating space. This process not only widens the smile but also allows the tongue to rest in its proper location, the palate.

Palatal expansion offers several benefits for your child's oral health:

• Avoiding the need for extracting permanent teeth: By creating more space in the upper arch, palatal expansion eliminates the need for extractions.
• Widening the smile and creating facial symmetry: The treatment helps achieve a balanced and harmonious facial appearance.
• Guiding the growth of the jaw: Early intervention ensures that the upper and lower teeth will fit together properly as your child grows.
• Tipping protruded front teeth backward: Palatal expansion can correct the position of protruding front teeth, improving aesthetics and reducing the risk of injury.
• Reducing the risk of pediatric sleep apnea: By increasing space for air and tongue during sleep, palatal expansion can alleviate sleep-disordered breathing.‍
• Reducing crowding issues: Palatal expansion helps create ample space for all the permanent teeth, preventing crowding.

When you bring your child to Muench Orthodontics for early orthodontic treatment, here's what you can expect: 

• Thorough examination and evaluation: Our orthodontist will conduct a comprehensive examination, including digital imaging and photographs of your child's teeth and mouth. This evaluation helps us determine the most suitable treatment approach for your child.
• Customized palatal expander appliance: We will take an impression or mold of your child's upper and lower arch to create a custom palatal expander. This appliance will fit precisely in your child's mouth.
• Placement of spacers: Spacers will be placed between the back molars to create room for the metal bands holding the appliance.
• Installation of the palatal expander: Once the expander is ready, we will bond it to the back molars and activate it to initiate the expansion process. Your child may take a few days to adjust to the new appliance, but it should not cause pain or discomfort.
• Regular monitoring and progress checks: We will closely monitor your child's progress throughout treatment to ensure the appliance works effectively. If any issues arise, our team is readily available to address them.‍
• Duration of treatment: Palatal expansion typically takes around 6 to 9 months. However, we generally leave the appliance in place for about a year to ensure optimal results. In some cases, we may also place brackets on the front four teeth to adjust their position if needed.

Many children can benefit from early orthodontic treatment, but not all require it. Here are a few indicators that your child may benefit from early interceptive treatment:

• Thumb sucking or pacifier use
• Upper teeth that protrude forward
• Underbite
• Mouth breathing during sleep
• Speech difficulties
• Severe crowding of front or back teeth
• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Crossbite
• Excessively spaced teeth
• Extra or missing teeth

If your child exhibits any of these indicators, we recommend scheduling an evaluation with our orthodontist, Dr. Muench. Our conservative approach to early orthodontic treatment focuses on personalized care and finding the most appropriate solution for your child's needs.