Other benefits of early treatment:
- Improve profiles, smiles and self-esteem
- Correct harmful habits, such as thumb
sucking and tongue thrusting. Functional
appliances develop the arches and make more
room for the tongue.
- Improved speech
- Reduction of the time in fixed braces
and frequently eliminates the need for the
extraction of permanent teeth
- Increases nasal breathing which improves
health
- Eliminates airway constriction
- Creates beautiful broad smiles by
developing the arches
- Eliminates grinding of the teeth at
night
- Prevents headaches and earaches
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Cross Bite
Pre-Treatment
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Cross Bite Corrected
3 Years Later
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FUNCTIONAL HABITS
Functional habits include
thum sucking, mouth breathing or a tongue
thrust habit which can contribute to the
unfavorable growth of the jaws. Oral habits
can commonly cause the upper front teeth to
stick out and can contribute to speech
problems. The best way to intercept a habit is
to first make certain that the child has a
proper size airway and can breath through the
nose. In cases where there are serious
allergies, swollen adenoids or tonsils, a
referral to an Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist
must be done.
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Effects of Finger Habit
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Habit Corrected
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After airway considerations
are addressed an upper fixed habit- breaking
appliance could be made to stop the oral
habit. Most parents prefer the fixed
appliances, which cannot be removed by the
child. A tiny patient friendly crib at the
front of the appliance helps to remind the
patient not to place their tongue, finger of
thumb in this area of the mouth. Active
treatment usually takes 4 to 5 months. Then if
an arch development appliance was used, the
crib could be removed, and the child wears the
appliance as a retainer for another 6 months
to prevent a relapse.
