If you’re a parent, you may have heard your child’s dentist or orthodontist mention the term ‘dentofacial orthopedics.’ While it may sound like a mouthful, this specialty is an essential aspect of oral health for children.
Dentofacial orthopedics focuses on guiding the growth and development of a child’s facial structure during their formative years.
As a parent, it’s important to understand the role that dentofacial orthopedics plays in your child’s oral health. This field is closely related to orthodontics but goes beyond just managing tooth movement.
Dentofacial orthopedics involves assessing and guiding the growth of bones in the face and jaw to ensure proper alignment and function.
By understanding what dentofacial orthopedics entails, you can make informed decisions about your child’s dental care and set them up for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Understanding the Specialty
Orthodontics focuses on moving teeth, while dentofacial orthopedics specializes in guiding the growth and development of the face, which is especially important during childhood.
Dentofacial orthopedics requires additional schooling beyond dental school. It involves using specialized appliances like headgear and expanders to correct facial abnormalities.
During childhood, a child’s face bones are still growing and developing. This is why dentofacial orthopedics is particularly important during this time. By guiding the growth of these bones, dentofacial orthopedic treatment can prevent more serious issues from developing later on in life.
Our orthodontist’s expertise in both orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics enables a comprehensive approach to treatment that addresses both tooth alignment and facial structure for optimal results.
Dentofacial Orthopedic vs. Orthodontics
You might be wondering how dentofacial orthopedic treatment differs from traditional orthodontics. While both specialties involve the use of appliances to correct misalignments in the teeth and jaw, dentofacial orthopedics goes beyond just tooth movement. It focuses on guiding facial growth and development, which occurs primarily during childhood.
Orthodontics, on the other hand, is solely concerned with managing tooth movement. Braces are the most common appliance used in orthodontic treatment. In contrast, dentofacial orthopedic treatment may involve specialized appliances like headgear and expanders to address facial abnormalities.
By combining both specialties, our orthodontist is able to provide a comprehensive approach that addresses not only dental issues but also any underlying facial structure problems for optimal results.
Dentofacial Growth Guidance
To help children achieve their best smile, our orthodontist focuses on guiding the growth and development of their facial structure during childhood. Dentofacial orthopedics involves using specialized appliances to correct any abnormalities and guide the growth of the jaw, face, and teeth.
By addressing these issues early on in a child’s development, we can prevent future problems such as difficulty speaking or chewing. Through dentofacial growth guidance, our orthodontist can ensure that your child’s teeth and jaws develop properly.
This may involve using braces or other appliances to gently shift the positioning of the teeth or encourage proper jaw alignment. With a combination of orthodontic treatment and dentofacial orthopedic care, we aim to give your child not only a beautiful smile but also optimal oral health for years to come.
Trust us to provide expert care for your child’s dental needs.
Common Appliances Used
Our orthodontist commonly uses appliances such as braces, headgear, and expanders to gently shift the positioning of teeth and encourage proper jaw alignment. These appliances may seem intimidating at first, but they’re designed to be comfortable and effective in achieving the desired results.
Here are some common appliances used in dentofacial orthopedics:
- Braces: Braces are the most well-known appliance used in orthodontic treatment. They consist of brackets that are bonded to the teeth and wires that apply gentle pressure to shift them into proper alignment.
- Headgear: Headgear is typically used to correct overbites or underbites by applying pressure to the upper or lower jaw. It may look cumbersome, but it’s an important tool for achieving optimal facial symmetry.
- Expanders: Expanders are used to widen the upper jaw when it’s too narrow for proper bite alignment. They can be fixed or removable depending on the patient’s needs.
- Retainers: After orthodontic treatment is complete, patients often wear retainers to maintain their new smile and prevent any shifts in tooth positioning.
At Paventy & Brown, our orthodontists in Eugene, OR are experts in both dentofacial orthopedics and traditional orthodontic treatments. So if we identify any tooth misalignments, jaw issues or facial disproportion in your child’s mouth, then we can develop a tailored treatment plan and seamlessly integrate the two therapies together for the best possible outcome.