Personalised orthodontic treatment for all ages
North Sydney Orthodontics
Orthodontics for kids
Orthodontic treatment in young children
Crooked teeth can develop very early in childhood, and some children will benefit from orthodontic treatment before all the adult teeth have grown through. Early treatment is important for a limited number of specific conditions to prevent damage to the adult teeth or to limit the effects of a developing growth problem. We only recommend braces for kids that we believe has a definite benefit.
A Welcoming place for your kids
Any medical procedure can be worrying for young children, so we have designed our practice environment to relax and entertain our young visitors. We have a separate games and movies area which is located so you can keep an eye on your precious ones while still enjoying the grown up comforts of the main waiting area. Our treatment rooms are light filled and spacious and we welcome parents into the treatment area at any time.
Whats the best time to see the orthodontist for a child?
The Australian orthodontic society recommends a first assessment by an orthodontist around the age of 6-7 years, because this is the age when the first of the adult teeth typically appear and when some of the more important problems of dental development can require treatment.
What needs to be treated in young children?
At North Sydney Orthodontics we fix functional problems in young children that immediately threaten the development of the dentitition or growth of the face. Braces for young children usually lasts less than 1 year, and may shorten or simplify definitive orthodontic treatment later on. We look for problems of tooth emergence , teeth biting the wrong way round (crossbite), overcrowding, jaw growth problems, snoring, thumb sucking, tongue thrust and open bite, and delayed or premature loss of the primary dentition .
Failure of tooth emergence
The adult teeth start to enter the mouth around the age of 5 to 6 years of age. Sometimes there is a problem with the normal emergence of the teeth. Early diagnosis and treatment maximizes the chance of a full correction.
Prolonged finger or thumb sucking
Prolonged finger or thumb sucking habits after the age of 5 can stop the normal growth of the front teeth . We prefer to help kids kick the habit with counselling and motivation. Children typically give up thumb sucking themselves with gentle persuation. For those children continuing the sucking habit various devices can be designed to interfere with the comfort derived from the habit.
Premature loss of primary teeth – Space maintenance
When a primary tooth is prematurely lost (i.e. extracted due to decay), adjacent teeth may drift into the space, and leave insufficient space for alignment of the permanent teeth. An orthodontist’s opinion is required to assess whether a space maintaining device is of value. Space maintaining devices can be fixed or removable and the correct design will be determined by the particular situation.
