Normalizing the growth of a patient’s bone structure

You already know what it means to be an orthodontist, but what about specializing in dentofacial orthopedics?

Specializing in dentofacial orthopedics is a special distinction earned by orthodontists who have received their orthodontic specialization in dental school, and have completed a two to three year orthodontic residency program.

Dentofacial orthopedics is the process of normalizing the growth of a patient’s bone structure and repairing any imbalances of the face and jaws. This process often involves a two-phase treatment and often begins when the patient is around 7 or 8 years old.

Dentofacial Orthopedics for Children

Children are often the best candidates for receiving dentofacial orthopedic therapy. Beginning at a young age, your orthodontist will examine and monitor your child’s growth to determine when treatment will be most effective. If your child begins orthodontic treatment before all adult teeth have erupted, it is known as phase-one treatment. During phase-one treatment, your orthodontist will use treatments designed to correct your child’s jaw growth and make sure that the jaw bone is properly aligned before beginning the second phase of treatment, which usually involves braces to straighten the teeth.

Dentofacial Orthopedics for Adults

Dentofacial orthopedics is also used to treat adults; however, this process may involve surgery. In children, the jawbones are still forming and have not completely hardened, making it easier for orthodontists to control bone growth and tooth movement. Adults, however, are no longer growing, and their jawbones have hardened making it more of a challenge to adjust the bite and move teeth into proper alignment if the facial bones are misaligned.

Surgery may be used to adjust the jaw bone and establish the proper bite alignment before beginning a braces treatment. With dentofacial orthopedics, adults can still achieve the beautiful smile they have always wanted.

To learn more about dentofacial orthopedics, and to find out if this type of treatment is right for you, please contact our practice and schedule an orthodontic consultation.