Dentofacial orthopedics involves correcting the bone structure and growth of the face and jaw. The treatment can begin as early as 7 or 8 years old. It can also involve surgery in older individuals. At Harris Orthodontics, Dr. Peyton Harris also specializes in dentofacial orthopedics. While children are the ideal candidates for treatment, adults can sometimes benefit from them.
When to Seek Dentofacial Orthopedics Treatment?
Dentofacial orthopedics is best sought at a young age, ideally starting around the age of 8. Your child will have both baby teeth and adult teeth at this age. During this time, both the jaw and face are in development stages. This makes the jawbone more capable of accepting the treatment. With age, bad bites become set in place and increasingly difficult to correct. Inability to correct misalignment issues early on can mean that these issues may have to be surgically corrected later.
Ideal Candidate for Dentofacial Orthopedics
As mentioned above, children are the ideal candidates for dentofacial orthopedics treatment. This is because their jaw and facial bones are in the growth phase and can be more readily guided in the desired position and shape.
However, this doesn’t mean that adults can’t benefit from this form of treatment. When it comes to adults, the procedure can be more complicated and involve minor surgeries. It may often be the right treatment for adults with certain bite issues.
Dentofacial Orthopedics Vs. Orthodontics
Orthodontics focuses on aligning the teeth. However, teeth can be misaligned due to more causes than just teeth sizes and shapes. This includes discrepancies in the structure of the facial bones; this is where dentofacial orthopedics comes into the picture. The use of mandibular and maxillary expanders, for instance, can help create space in underdeveloped jaws. Dr. Peyton Harris often helps patients with an overbite, crossbite, or underbite problems using dentofacial orthopedics.
