Children’s Orthodontics

You want your child to develop strong, healthy teeth and a nice smile that promotes self-esteem. We agree these are important achievements and we offer early orthodontic treatment, as needed, to assist optimal growth.

Functional orthodontics

Historically, orthodontic treatment has been associated with the average teenager. Today, about one in every five orthodontic patients is over the age of 18. Additionally, research has demonstrated there is immense value in assessing children as young as five for early orthodontic intervention.

Dr. Kotecha is proud to offer a high standard of dental care that includes orthodontic evaluation and treatment with functional appliances, as needed, to promote healthy development. With early orthodontic intervention, we can monitor and actually guide the progress of tooth and jaw growth which continues until about age 12. By regulating the width of arches, your experienced dentist can minimize the potential risk of necessary extractions.

Monitoring and Facilitating Optimal Development

Functional orthodontics is about more than simply straightening teeth; it is about monitoring and facilitating optimal development. When the jaw is not growing as it should, there are several concerns. One is the undue stress placed on vital joints when teeth do not fit together as they should. When the joints, muscles, and ligaments must constantly adapt to malocclusion, stress can lead to perpetual dysfunction. In turn, this dysfunction leads to unpleasant symptoms; such as:

• Stiffness in the jaw
• “Lock jaw” in which the mouth becomes stuck in one position
• Dizziness
• Chronic headaches or earaches
• Ringing in the ears
• Popping sounds in the jaw
• Facial pain or neck pain

Promoting healthy smiles in two distinct phases

Functional orthodontic appliances may be applied as early as age five and up to age 12 in most cases. The purpose of this phase is to:

• Assist in the treatment of a constricted airway
• Minimize the development of a bad bite
• Reduce the impact of thumb-sucking or tongue thrusting
• Promote healthy growth in an underdeveloped or narrow jaw
• Correct a retruded upper or lower jaw thus creating a healthy facial profile
• Shorten the main phase of orthodontic treatment

Correcting Misalignment

Once the jaw has fully developed and permanent teeth are present, the second phase of orthodontic care (braces) will focus on correcting misalignment. In some cases, phase one early orthodontics fully eliminates the need for a second phase as permanent teeth are provided with the space they need to grow in normally.

We are proud of our commitment to high-quality dentistry for every member of your family. To learn more about functional orthodontics and early orthodontic intervention, call our Mississauga office at (905) 455-9262.