Children’s Orthodontics

Children’s Orthodontics Melbourne VIC

Early intervention is key to ensuring your child’s total oral health

At Marriott & Hand in Melbourne, we offer early intervention treatment for children. The development of your child’s primary (also known as ‘milk’) teeth will be the foundation of how their adult teeth will erupt and function later in life. This is why if your child’s teeth are crooked or their bite is misaligned we recommend orthodontic treatment to help realign your child’s teeth or jaw to solve any bite issues.

The Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends that children’s teeth are evaluated by an orthodontist no later than seven years of age. By seven, most adult front teeth have erupted but the jawbone is still growing. This is one of the reasons why early intervention is ideal: because the jawbone is still growing it can mean faster and more effective treatment. Other reasons for early intervention include:

That it can prevent other, more serious problems from developing at a later age.
If further treatment is needed later in life it can be shorter and less involved.
If your child’s case is severe, treatment later in life may be not sufficient.

There are a number of health benefits to straight teeth:

Improved hygiene: straight teeth are easier to brush and floss than crooked teeth. Insufficient cleaning can lead to gum disease, tooth decay and in extreme cases tooth loss.
Problems with bite: a bad bite (malocclusion) can lead to teeth grinding and clenching which can wear down teeth and cause jaw joint problems. A bad bite can cause alignment problems which has been known to make speaking properly difficult.

We believe in continued observation to ensure your child gains the best results possible

At Marriott & Hand in Melbourne we understand that a child’s jaw continuously changes and develops as they grow. With this is in mind we have placed a large importance on tracking your child’s dental development. Our friendly team will monitor your child’s teeth and jaws so that we can gain a full understanding of what they need now or in early adolescence.