A Shropshire dentist is hoping to let parents know that providing orthodontic treatment for children could reduce the risks of crowding and the need for tooth extractions later in life; Dr Emily Wright BDS has started to raise awareness at Esthetique Dental Practice, just outside Shrewsbury, by providing free consultations to under-fives who come with a parent.
The revolutionary treatment is known as Dento-facial Orthopaedics; it aims to utilise growth and muscle forces to make enough room on the jaw for the adult teeth to grow through, Dr Wright explains that ‘research has shown that a great many people have a misalignment of their underlying jaw relationship which results in crowding and crookedness of their teeth, and often this runs in families.’ She added that undergoing orthopaedic orthodontics at an earlier age gives the jaw an opportunity to develop in the right way, giving greater space for the teeth to grown naturally.
Dr Wright also said ‘The ideal age to begin orthopaedic is between 6 and 10 years, which gets a child’s smile off to a good start at an early age – and long before they are likely to become self-conscious about smiling and lose confidence because their teeth are less than perfect. The treatment is however suitable for patients of any age.’