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859 NE 7th Street
Grants Pass, OR 97526

(541) 474-0860

Orthodontic treatment/braces for children, adolescents, and adults, located in Grants Pass, Oregon and serving the Rogue Valley.

For Children

It is important the children have an orthodontic evaluation by the age of 7.  This allows for early intervention or effective timing of treatment.  Advantages and Examples of early treatment or interceptive treatment are shown.

When should your child first visit the orthodontist?

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends an initial orthodontic evaluation around the age of 7.  

For some, orthodontic treatment may not be indicated at this time, but it allows the orthodontist to anticipate the optimal timing of treatment to ensure the greatest result with least amount of time and expense. 

For others, there may be a problem developing that would best be treated at this early age, and this could minimize or eliminate more serious problems down the road.  Treatment goals are limited to addressing the major concerns.  We call this type of treatment: Early or Interceptive Treatment. 

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What are the advantages of Early or Interceptive Treatment?

  • Reducing the need for tooth removal
  • Reducing risk of trauma to malposed or protruding front teeth
  • Reducing the risk of facial asymmetry
  • Increasing facial balance and harmony through growth modification
  • Creating or preserving space for crowded teeth
  • Correct thumb-sucking and help improve minor speech problems
  • Increasing self-confidence  
  • Reducing time in braces

 

Examples of Early or Interceptive Treatment:

1. Space Maintainers

As adult molars erupt, they move forward in the mouth.  If a patient has crowding, or "bunched up" teeth in the front of the mouth, holding these molars back  may preserve room to allow all of the adult teeth to fit.   

2. Crossbite Correction

An ideal "bite" has the upper teeth situated on the outside of the bottom teeth.  A "crossbite" occurs when the upper teeth are trapped on the tongue side.  There are two types of crossbites, and both are best treated as early as they are detected.  

 

Anterior Crossbite

This is a crossbite between the front teeth.  If left untreated, the malposed teeth can be quite traumatic to one another as the child chews, speaks, and functions. 

 

 

Posterior Crossbite

This is a crossbite between the back teeth.  If these are left untreated, the patient may shift their bottom jaw into a side position to make their teeth fit more comfortably.  Unfortunately, this may be stressful on the jaw joint, and may lead to joint discomfort (TMD) or facial asymmetries. 

 

 
 

3. Growth Modification

Many people have growth imbalances where their top jaw grows more than their bottom jaw, or vice-versa.  If treatment is done during an active phase of growth, it is sometimes possible to modify this growth to create a more balanced facial appearance.

 

Here is an example of a patient whose upper jaw growth was restricted, allowing the lower jaw to grow forward: 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an example of a patient whose upper jaw was encouraged to grow forward to balance out the growth of the lower jaw: