This branch of dentistry takes care of dental diseases, traumas and orthopaedic anomalies of children jaws.
It is highly recommended to start dental examination at the age of 4 to teach and educate children in the habits of hygiene and food to diagnose potential functional alterations such as mouth breathing, atypical swallowing, tongue thrusting or other subsequent patterns causing dental and skeletal deformities.
Interceptive Orthodontics refers to the placement of functional systems in cases of bone-dental discrepancies to prevent further major malocclusions.
In this phase we aim at correcting skeletal anomalies due to the plastic capacity of the jawbone at this young age.
We also treat deformities of the dental arches altering the masticatory system.
We fix dental malposition problems or issues that may affect either the upper or the lower mandible.
We apply orthopaedic treatments when needed.
Temporal early-stage teeth occupy the space of those permanent later-stage teeth. To prevent major diseases such as nerve infections causing tooth abscesses and feverish processes it is of great importance the seal of such teeth.
When the infectious process (i.e. cavity) reaches the nerve, a pulp treatment (pulp is the nerve of the teeth) if highly recommended to eliminate pain, inflammation and further infection.
The role of the speech therapist is of major importance by teaching children exercises and techniques to face atypical swallowing and breathing, and tongue thrusting to avoid future malocclusions.
Dental trauma is quite common in children, especially in cases of maxillary prognathism malocclusion, that is, where the upper teeth are protruding.
