What is interceptive orthodontics and what are the benefits for children?

Interceptive or functional orthodontics is that aimed at addressing malocclusion problems at early ages, when growth is not yet complete.

In almost all areas of health it is more beneficial to treat a disease early, and in the case of teeth it is a simpler procedure.

It also prevents problems in adulthood. Therefore, this orthodontic treatment is responsible for correcting the bite when the child is in the growth phase.

As we will see below, the use of interceptive orthodontic appliances during childhood has numerous benefits for the health, functionality and esthetics of the mouth.

What is interceptive orthodontics?
It is a type of orthodontics for children, so it cannot be placed in adults whose mandibular development has already been completed.

The objective of interceptive orthodontics in children is to guide the growth and/or correct the development of their bony structures, that is, the bones: maxilla and mandible.

In other words, it is intended to control and balance both the position and size of the bones that make up the dentition.

At what age is functional orthodontics placed?
Generally, this treatment is placed in children between six and eleven years of age.

This range is not casual, but responds to a stage in which the bones of the mouth are still forming and are, therefore, “moldable”.

Not only that, but this period is known as mixed dentition, a time when baby teeth coexist with permanent teeth.

This is the time when the primary teeth begin to fall out, giving way to the permanent dentition.

Mixed dentition
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MIXED DENTITION
What are the objectives of interceptive orthodontics?
As we have already mentioned, the main objective of functional orthodontics is to achieve the correct position and size of the bones.

In this way, health, functionality, dental esthetics and facial appearance will be improved.

Since during childhood the bones are still in the growth phase, it is possible to intervene on them.

The main benefit of this, therefore, is that we avoid complications and anomalies in the future, when the person is already an adult and his or her jaw bones are fully developed.

At this point, it is only possible to solve malocclusion problems through corrective orthodontics or even surgery in the most severe cases.

Interceptive orthodontics avoids very severe malocclusions that in adulthood would only be solved by surgery.

What do these treatments consist of?
Interceptive orthodontics encompasses a wide variety of dental appliances, each one aimed at correcting a specific malocclusion.

Therefore, it is essential to make a diagnosis to determine what the problem is before starting any orthodontic treatment.

The most commonly used treatments within functional orthodontics are the following:

To correct class II or retrognathia.
Bionator: appliance to stimulate mandibular growth.

Extraoral anchorage: facial arch that is attached to the neck and slows the growth of the upper jaw.

Herbst appliance: used when the growth phase is about to end but it is necessary to reduce the distance between the maxilla and mandible.

To correct class III or prognathism.
Facial mask: it is used to stimulate the growth of the maxillary bone and is combined with the use of a palatal disjunctor, the latter being an expander appliance to correct crossbite.

Chin rest: is placed on the mandible and is used to slow down its growth.

To correct crossbite
McNamara Disjunctor: it is cemented to the palate and its function is to open it in cases of a compressed maxilla.

Two-band disjunctor: an appliance that is placed in the palate with a central screw.

Its purpose is the same as that of the McNamara switch: to expand the maxilla and correct a narrow palate with crossbite.

Once the treatment is completed, it will be necessary to place a removable retention appliance to maintain the results: the Hawley plate.

Hawley plate
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HAWLEY PLATE
How long do interceptive orthodontic treatments last?
The duration of functional orthodontic treatment varies depending on the case, i.e. the nature of the malocclusion.

But, as a general rule, we can say that this type of orthodontics lasts between six and eighteen months.

What is important to note is that, if the appliance is removable – “take it off and put it on” – it is essential that the patient wears it for the number of hours indicated by the orthodontist.

If the patient wears it for less time, the treatment will be delayed and the expected results will not be achieved in the expected timeframe.

After interceptive orthodontics, will another dental treatment be necessary?
Most of the time, after wearing interceptive braces, it is necessary to have corrective orthodontics.

Corrective orthodontics is that which is placed after the age of twelve, when there are no more milk teeth in the mouth and all the definitive teeth have erupted.

In fact, by way of summary, we are going to establish the differences between interceptive and corrective orthodontics.

Let us remember that interceptive or functional appliances are placed between the ages of six and eleven, when the bones are still developing.

The purpose is to improve the occlusion and leave it ready for the teeth to erupt correctly aligned.

On the other hand, corrective orthodontics, which is used afterwards, is in charge of placing the teeth, once the bones have a harmonic position and size.

Within this type of treatment, the most important are:

Metal brackets.
Metal brackets are the most commonly used among adolescents, since they are the cheapest and the ones that have been traditionally used.

In addition, this type of patient does not usually have high esthetic requirements, since it is common to wear orthodontics at their age.

Sapphire brackets
Sapphire crystal brackets are very esthetic as they are transparent and mimic the color of the tooth enamel.

Invisalign aligners
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INVISALIGN
Incognito lingual braces
This is a 100% invisible orthodontic, since the brackets are placed on the inner side of the tooth.

It is the preferred method for people who do not want anyone to know they are wearing braces.

It is not usually used much in adolescents, as it is the most expensive of all corrective orthodontics.

Invisalign aligners
Invisalign is also a very esthetic orthodontic appliance and offers a great deal of convenience to the patient because it is removable.

It is an appliance that does not require brackets and its Teen version is used by many teenagers.

Opting for one type of dental appliance or another depends entirely on the patient’s requirements in terms of price and esthetics.

All dental appliances are able to correct malocclusions and alignment problems.

First visit to the orthodontist
It is best to take your child to the orthodontist for the first time at the age of six. That way, if they have a malocclusion, it will be easier, faster and cheaper to fix it.

Why does preventing malocclusion make treatment easier?
We have already explained the differences between the two types of orthodontics and we have listed the corrective treatments.

Now, we will tell you that having worn interceptive braces in childhood makes subsequent treatment quicker and easier.

However, not wearing these braces as a child can lead to severe malocclusion in adulthood.

This can be caused by abnormal bone growth or an unbalanced shape.

In such cases, it will be necessary to resort to other procedures, such as tooth extractions and very long and complex orthodontic treatment.

When a malocclusion is generated by a bone problem and not only by the malposition of the teeth, it is essential to undergo an operation: orthognathic surgery.

This procedure is the only option to modify the size and position of the bones in adults.

What are the problems that can be diagnosed at an early age?
First of all, in order to make an early diagnosis, it is essential to take your children to the pediatric dentist in their first years of life.

In fact, it is recommended that the first visit to the orthodontist should be at the age of six.

Once there, the dentist may determine that development is proceeding correctly.

In this case, it is advisable to schedule periodic check-ups to monitor their evolution.

If, on the other hand, the dentist discovers an anomaly, interceptive orthodontic treatment can be planned.

The sooner the problem is discovered, the better it can be controlled and corrected.

The most common corrections we make at this age are the following:

Expand the maxillary bones in very compressed arches.

Stimulate or slow the growth of the jaw when it is too small or too prominent.

To generate space for the eruption of all the teeth and/or to solve severe crowding in baby teeth.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
What causes the need for functional orthodontics?
The need to wear interceptive appliances may be due to skeletal causes, habits acquired during childhood or genetic inheritance.

Skeletal (bone) origin
They are due to abnormal growth of the bone bases and give rise to: ogival or narrow palate, crossbite or upper teeth that, when biting, remain behind the lower teeth.

Functional origin
They are caused by bad dental habits that occur during childhood.

The most frequent are:

Digital sucking or, what is the same, thumb sucking.

Mouth breathing.

Atypical swallowing or interposition of the tongue between the teeth when swallowing.

Prolonged pacifier use.

Pacifier use in infants
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BABY WITH PACIFIER
Hereditary origin
There are other types of anomalies that have a strong genetic load.

Because the hereditary component will accompany the person throughout his or her life, in some cases, these dental treatments are longer or more complex.

After reading this article, the idea that should be clear to parents is that it is best to visit the orthodontist when the child is six years old.

In this way, anomalies, if they exist, will begin to be treated at an early stage.

If corrective treatment is necessary at a later stage, it will be much simpler, shorter and cheaper than if no functional orthodontic phase had been carried out.

If you have any questions about the above treatments or suspect that your child may have a malocclusion, we encourage you to call us.

You can contact our Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics team through the web form or by calling 91 768 18 12.

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