dr-banach – Treatment of children and teenagers

Treatment of children and teenagers

behandlungsspektrum As you would expect, children and teenagers from about the age of 12 constitute the largest treatment group.

In our treatment, we differentiate between 3 age groups:

1. Early treatment in primary dentition / milk teeth (Age approx. 3-6 years)

2. Early treatment in mixed dentition (Age approx. 6-9 years)

3. Orthodontic treatment in permanent dentition

Early treatment in primary dentition (Age approx. 3-6 years)

frontal cross bite in primary dentition

lateral cross bite with medial deviation in primary dentition

Early treatment in primary dentition / milk teeth is only necessary in a few cases.

- If the upper jaw is too narrow in relation to the lower jaw, one talks of a cross bite.

Frontal and lateral cross bites should be treated in primary dentition, otherwise it may lead to stunted growth in the upper jaw or a deviation from the medial line.

Early treatment in mixed dentition (Age approx. 6-9 years)

Early mixed dentition (only the permanent front teeth and the first large molars are present, the rest are still milk teeth) shows significantly more indication whether early treatment is needed or not. At this age, growth can be controlled easily and children are usually very cooperative.
Using functional orthodontics, we can harmonise facial and soft tissue growth in children and teenagers, and increase stability in the bite by bringing the teeth into their optimal position. Within a short space of time (1.5 – 2 years), the jaws can be brought into harmonious alignment with one another. During this development phase, the primary focus is on growth stimulation. As a rule, misaligned teeth are only corrected in permanent dentition.

Treatment indicators:

- Growth stimulus of the lower jaw in case of severe overjet (”distal bite”)

severe frontal overjet

severe frontal overjet

- The reverse overjet (”mesial bite”) due to over growth in the lower jaw, or insufficient growth in the upper jaw

reverse overjet

- Frontal or lateral open bites, e.g. caused by malfunctioning of the tongue or wrong swallowing habit

frontal offener Biss durch Fehlfunktion der Zunge

frontal open bite caused by malfunctioning of the tongue

frontal open bite

- Extreme lack of space in the upper and/or lower jaw, to avoid tooth extraction in the permanent dentition

severe lack of spacing in the upper jaw

severe lack of spacing in the lower jaw

The timely development in the jaws prevents the crowding of teeth and tooth extractions.

- Cross bites, if they have not been corrected in primary dentition

lateral cross bite in mixed dentition

Orthodontic treatment in permanent dentition

If the jaws grow evenly, the width in relation to one another is harmonious and there is only moderate crowding, then correcting tooth misalignment in permanent dentition (at approx. 12 years of age) is sufficient.

Here, the primary focus is on correcting tooth and jaw misalignment.

Patient mit einer Multibracketapparatur im Ober- und Unterkiefer. Im Oberkiefer kleben wir die Brackets in der Regel auf die Außenzahnflächen, im Unterkiefer von innen auf die Zähne (Königsteiner Hybridtechnik).

Patient with multi-bracket appliance in lower and upper jaw. In the upper jaw, we usually glue the brackets to the outer sides of the teeth and in the lower jaw onto the inner sides (Königsteiner Hybridtechnik).

By working closely together with other specialist (e.g. ear, nose and throat doctors, and speech therapists), we can offer a comprehensive solution to problems, e.g. improving speech development (”lisping”) by cooperating with speech therapists, and improving breathing through the nose by expanding the upper jaw etc.

When treating children and teenagers, one consideration is particularly important to us – the necessary measures should not influence the patient’s life too much. At all times, we make sure that the treatment methods are compatible with everyday life.