We specialise in orthodontics for kids. Beginning orthodontic correction early can have significant benefits for your child. An orthodontic assessment for children as young as 7 years old can improve the chances of avoiding full orthodontic treatment later on. As one of Auckland’s most trusted orthodontics providers, we recommend early assessment of children’s teeth straightening options.
At McIntosh Dental we assess breathing patterns in children as young as 5 years old, which can have a lasting effect on the shape of your child’s jaw. Mouth breathers can develop significant issues as their jaw and teeth grow. We often see children at 7 or 8 years old for their first orthodontic assessment and many of these children are treated early to save major orthodontic procedures in later years.
As experienced orthodontic experts, we work with people of all ages to create amazing smiles. We have a full range of orthodontic options available, embracing the latest technology and trends including metal, clear, coloured and invisible braces.
We understand that the cost of braces for kids can be difficult to manage, which is why we offer OrthoPlan. OrthoPlan is an orthodontic payment plan that allows you to spread the cost of your child’s orthodontics over the course of their treatment.
Are you or your child wondering what it’s like to have braces? Meet Casey, who is sharing her journey with braces at McIntosh Dental.
Removable Orthodontic Appliances
Removable orthodontic appliances can be used very effectively in orthodontics for kids. We can prescribe appliances that encourage the jaw to grow in the right way. This can result in a lesser expense than full orthodontics at a later age.
A common misconception is that crooked teeth can only be treated once children have lost all their baby teeth. In fact, many crooked smiles can be prevented with this kind of early treatment.
Non-Extraction Orthodontics
Many traditional approaches to orthodontics recommend the removal of teeth to ‘gain space’ in the mouth. You’ll often hear people say ‘my teeth were too big for my mouth’ or ‘I had too many teeth as a child’. A common method in the process of children’s teeth straightening was to routinely extract teeth to make space and then retract the remaining teeth into the gaps to straighten everything up.
We now know this to be an outdated approach. Non-extraction orthodontics, or Full Face Orthodontics, is the new standard with extractions being required only in a very small number of cases.
If your child has been recommended to have tooth extractions in order to make their teeth straight, we advise a little caution before such a permanent and irreversible treatment plan is undertaken.
Myofunctional Orthodontics
Myofunctional treatment involves a number of mouth, facial muscle, and tongue exercises that are specifically designed to correct a deviated swallow – often referred to as “tongue thrust.” The condition can be found in adults and children with special needs and speech disorders, as well as in people with misaligned teeth. Myofunctional treatments are ultimately customised to the individual based on age, allowing the patient to swallow correctly as time goes on.
Myofunctional issues can manifest in many ways. Keep an eye out for any of these symptoms in your child and get in touch with us if you are at all concerned.
What to look for:
⇒ Misaligned teeth
⇒ Thumb-sucking
⇒ Teeth-grinding
⇒ Facial pain
⇒ Speech problems
⇒ Mouth breathing
⇒ Sleep apnoea
⇒ Stomach aches
Functional Orthodontics
Functional orthodontics is the name given to the branch of orthodontics that uses appliances and braces to guide the growth of the teeth and jaws. This is a big part of our orthodontics for kids treatment philosophy at McIntosh Dental.
The treatment not only involves straightening a person’s teeth, but re-positioning the upper and lower jaws to create a more healthy profile. A weak chin or misalignment of either jaw creates an incorrect bite: either an under-bite or overbite. This can lead to migraines, neck and shoulder pain, dizziness, sleep apnoea, hearing problems, upper airway obstruction, and unsatisfactory facial profiles.
We approach children’s teeth straightening in a different way. Instead of pulling crowded teeth, the jaw is expanded to make more room. When orthodontic appliances are worn to widen the jaw, both upper and lower, it makes for a more balanced profile and helps to expand sinuses and correct sleep apnoea or breathing problems.
Before & After: Orthodontics for Kids
Treatment With Fixed Orthodontic Appliances: 2 Year Treatment
Aligning Teeth With Fixed Orthodontic Appliances: 10 Months Into Treatment