Guiding Your Child’s Growth with a Holistic Touch
Did you know that 3 out of 4 kids have some form of dental malocclusion? That’s just a fancy term for crooked teeth or jaws that don’t align properly. While genetics often get the blame, it’s not just about genes.
Your child’s jaw and teeth don’t grow in isolation—they’re shaped by the muscles and tissues around them. Habits like thumb sucking, prolonged pacifier use, mouth breathing, or incorrect tongue posture may disrupt the natural growth process, leading to misaligned teeth and jaws.
Here’s the good news: by addressing these underlying causes early, we can help your child’s face and smile grow as nature intended.
What is the Goal of Integrative & Interceptive Orthodontics?
The foundation for your child’s facial structure is largely set by age 8. During these early years, the face and jaws grow rapidly, reaching about 60% of their adult size.
Proper oral posture—lips together, tongue resting on the roof of the mouth, and breathing through the nose—plays a huge role in ensuring this growth happens correctly.
When orofacial muscles are out of sync, poor habits develop. This can lead to imbalances that affect not just your child’s smile but their overall health as well. Messy and loud eating, sleep related breathing disorders, constipation, and speech distortions are often observed in children with dental malocclusions. Children with poor oral rest posture are at risk of developing long faces, receded chins and underdeveloped jaws.
Common Signs of Dental Malocclusion
- Crowded or crooked teeth
- Flared anterior teeth
- Open bites, crossbites, or deep bites
- High & narrow palate
- Underdeveloped jaws
- Spaces between teeth
Dental malocclusions don’t self-correct. Functional & Interceptive Orthodontics “whole-patient approach” promotes proper oral rest posture, ideal jaw growth, better airway health and straight teeth by focusing on early intervention to remove underlying causes that can interfere with growth, cause airway health issues and result in a less-than-ideal bite.
What is the ideal time to start Phase I Orthodontic Care?
By age 4, we can already see signs of poor muscle function habits and dental malocclusion. Starting treatment between ages 4-8 allows us to create the right environment for ideal jaw growth to improve the shape of the face, guide teeth into the right position and promote proper breathing.
Will my child need more orthodontic treatment later in life?
Guiding growth in the right direction during Phase I sets the stage for a healthy, well-aligned smile. Early palatal expansion helps the jaws “catch up” on growth, making room for permanent teeth and potentially preventing severe crowding or extractions. Once all adult teeth are all in, a second phase of orthodontic treatment may be needed – but it’s usually shorter and focused on fine-tuning that picture perfect smile.
Is one appliance enough to correct bite issues in young children?
Dr. Santos believes there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for orthodontic issues. This tailored-approach-to-treatment philosophy allows her to use a variety of tools and techniques to address each child’s unique needs, including:
- Custom Orthodontic Expansion Appliances
- Myobrace® and Healthy Start® Myofunctional Orthodontic Systems
- Sleep Myofunctional Appliances
- Myomunchee®
- Invisalign Clear Aligners®
- Traditional Braces
- Oral Myofunctional Therapy
By focusing on the root causes, these treatments don’t just straighten teeth – they promote healthy jaw growth, improve airway function, and set the stage for a lifetime of better health.
A Mom on a Mission
When Dr. Santos noticed her own son struggling with mouth breathing, sleep apnea and poor jaw development, she dove headfirst into learning everything she could about orofacial muscle imbalances, tethered oral tissues, and pediatric dental sleep medicine. After years of research and training, she found solutions that transformed her son’s health - that’s why she’s passionate about doing the same for your child.
As a board-certified pediatric dentist with advanced training in orthodontics, oral myofunctional therapy, tethered-oral-tissues, and dental sleep medicine, Dr. Santos takes a proactive approach to your child’s oral health. She carefully monitors growth and development, ensuring that any potential issues are caught and treated early.
Are You Concerned About Your Child’s Bite & Jaw Development?
Don’t wait! Early intervention can make all the difference. If you’ve noticed signs like crowding, mouth breathing, sleep issues, or poor jaw alignment, call our office today. Let’s work together to give your child the healthy, confident future they deserve!
Call us at (941) 909-2979
