Children’s Orthodontics

This is the dentistry field of specialization responsible for correcting problems with maxillary and jawbone growth as well as the correct positioning of the teeth during childhood.
Our children’s orthodontics department is led by Dr Cristina Herrera Barreda, who holds a degree in dentistry and is a specialist in paediatric dentistry and children’s orthodontics.

At what age is orthodontics recommended?

There is no recommended age in children’s orthodontics but rather pathologies or problems that a specialist must analyse before beginning the most adequate treatment for the particular child.

Our advice is to take your child to their first check-up at about the age of 6 when their teeth begin falling out and their first permanent molars begin appearing. However, there are cases where preventive orthodontics treatments (but not devices) may be necessary even by the age of 3 due to problems deriving mainly from the use of dummies, still drinking from bottles at the age of two or persistent thumb sucking to eliminate these habits which can cause very serious oral alterations in the future.

Treatments

Treatments at the age of 3-6.

As already mentioned, this is preventive treatment aiming to eliminate poor habits that can cause deformations in the maxillofacial structure.

Treatments between the ages of 6 and 11. Interceptive orthodontics or maxillofacial orthopaedics.

This type of orthodontics is aimed at correcting position and bone growth anomalies for proper bone relations and harmonious growth.
In general, orthodontics devices are fitted mainly to correct unilateral or bilateral crossbite, bone problems in the jaw or maxillary, maxillary expansion or disjunction, mandibular advancement… for proper mastication and other development problems.
It’s not bothersome or painful for the child. This interceptive orthopaedics or orthodontics can range from removable devices to fixed appliances and depends on the child or developing patient’s problem.

Treatments for children over the age of 12.

Once their permanent teeth have all come in, fixed orthodontics can be fitted in children (metal brackets) to position the teeth, eliminate dental crowding and/or solve bite or malocclusion problems.

Correcting and preventing these types of problems in children is very important as it will prevent more serious complications for adults which can only sometimes be resolved with surgery.

Children’s Orthodontics