Dentofacial orthopedics is the area of dentistry focused on the bones that support your teeth. This field requires research, experience, and education, all of which you will find when you visit our doctors at Orthodontic Alliances.

Before a child gets braces, dentofacial orthopedics can guide the development of their jaw as they grow. This can minimize or even eliminate the need for braces when the child is older.

As a child’s upper and lower jaws develop, it affects the position of their cheekbones and the bottom of their nose. This growth typically stops between the ages of 14 and 21 years old.

This is one of the reasons we recommend coming to our practice when your child is around 7 years old. During this appointment, we can evaluate your child’s jaw development.

If there are issues, we can intervene to guide the growth of your child’s mouth. A functional oral appliance can be invaluable for oral health. We can provide a variety of solutions, such as:

• Activators – To minimize the risk of an over- or underbite, use this to move the upper or lower jaw forward.
• Palate Expander – This slowly applies pressure to the upper jaw to widen it if it is too narrow for teeth to erupt.
• Lower Jaw Expander – Instead of stretching the lower jaw, this treatment carefully moves your lower teeth further apart.

These are just a few of the ways we can help you or your family members have a great smile.

If needed, we can also speak with you about potential orthodontic options and other services that can properly align your teeth for simpler dental hygiene, a more visually appealing, confident smile, and better dental health.

Call 219-809-6584 or contact us online online to make an appointment at Orthodontic Alliances. Let’s discuss how Long Beach dentofacial orthopedics could help you or someone you love. Find out which of our effective options is appropriate for you!