Malocclusion in a child: identify and correct it in time!

Concept and reasons for origin

The term “small lower jaw” in dentistry and orthodontics has several interpretations with significant differences:

• Micrognathia (also microgenia) is a pathology manifested in the form of defective or delayed development of the entire lower jaw, as well as its individual fragments;
• Prognathia is an intensive growth of the upper part of the jaw apparatus, which results in the visual effect of insufficient development of the lower jaw.

Both pathologies manifest themselves in both infancy and adulthood. Clinical manifestations of the anomaly make it possible to detect the presence of abnormalities at the primary stages of development, which provides the possibility of preventive treatment.

In children

In infancy, improper formation of the lower jaw is caused by various factors, the main one of which is a violation of the uniform process of fetal development in the prenatal period. At this stage, the relationship of jaw proportions is established, which can be influenced by:

• improper maternal diet;
• presence of genetic predisposition;
• consumption of nicotine and alcohol products;
• exposure to serious illnesses with complications.

In the early stages of a child’s life, factors influencing the development of pathology are:

• late formation of bite;
• metabolic disorders in the body;
• early loss of baby teeth;
• bad habits (pacifiers, pacifiers);
• improper feeding.

The primary signs of small lower jaw syndrome in children are recession of the chin and lower lip, abnormal tooth growth and impaired sucking function. Timely identification of symptoms allows the anomaly to be stopped without the use of orthodontic treatment methods.

In adults

In older age, factors provoking the formation of pathology are:

• incorrect or incomplete treatment in childhood;
• receiving severe injuries to the jaw apparatus;
• disorders of the body's metabolic processes;
• pathologies formed in bone tissue (rickets, ostiomyelitis);
• abnormal development of the orbicularis oris muscle.

Characteristic manifestations of small lower jaw syndrome in adulthood are distortion of the patient’s facial features, deformation of the dentition, and problems with eating solid foods.

Age for correcting malocclusion in children

You should think about visiting an orthodontist after teething. If necessary, the specialist will prescribe a comprehensive examination and radiography to identify the causes of dental anomalies. Then you should get advice from doctors in related fields. Specialists will determine contraindications, the likelihood of complications and assess the condition of the baby’s entire body. Based on the data obtained, the orthodontist will draw up a treatment plan for approximately 2 years with monthly clinic visits.

Treatment and prevention

The choice of treatment technique is determined by the clinical picture of the development of the pathology, as well as the age group to which the patient belongs. The main vector of therapy is to stimulate the development and growth of the lower jaw.

In childhood

The period of primary occlusion is one of the most favorable in terms of correction possibilities, since it allows the use of gentle treatment methods. The main methods used at this stage are:

• prosthetics for prematurely fallen milk teeth, ensuring the preservation of the normal shape of the jaw arch;
• sanitation of the oral cavity, accompanied by the restoration of individual damaged teeth and cleaning of defective roots;
• grinding of the areas of jaw closure - fissures - which allows you to eliminate malocclusion in the form of bumps on the chewing surface;
• normalization of breathing and tongue function, including by trimming the lingual frenulum and correcting the nasal septum;
• use of special corrective trays, plates or nipples.

Quite often, in order to stop the primary signs of pathology, it is enough to wean young children from bad habits.

As an adult

The treatment method during the period of permanent or mixed dentition is determined by the specifics of the anomaly.

To treat prognathia at the variable stage, special corrective orthodontic appliances, such as a Frenkel adjuster, a facebow or a Herbst device, can be used. Microdentia is treated with the help of distractors - devices that stretch the bone tissue and then replace it in the jaw with new bone.

At the permanent stage of occlusion, the most effective method is jaw surgery, which involves removing part of the dentition and excision of the alveolar-ridge area. It is also possible to use a radical technique - plastic surgery, in which the lower jaw is broken off from the main bone and moved forward, and in its place new bone material is placed, fixed with special plates.

The easiest way to avoid orthodontic intervention and stimulate the normal development of the lower jaw is in childhood - to do this, it is enough to follow simple preventive measures, prevent the development of bad habits and contact specialists at the first signs of pathology.

Exercises to correct bite in children

The orthodontist selects exercises to correct the bite individually for each child, taking into account the structural features of the jaw and the severity of the pathology. Myogymnastics can be performed by parents themselves, who have learned the technique from a specialist, or by teachers and nurses in groups of children with the same disabilities.

1. The lesson includes several exercises for the muscles of the tongue and oral cavity.
2. Hold a sheet of cardboard with your lips while breathing through your nose.
3. Move your lower jaw forward, biting your upper lip with your teeth.
4. Pull out your lips with a tube.
5. Puff out your cheeks with your lips closed.
6. Massage your lips.
7. “Click” your tongue.
8. Touch each tooth with your tongue one by one.
9. Hold some water in your mouth while breathing through your nose.

Myogymnastics must be performed daily at the same time until fatigue appears, taking short breaks between exercises. Only in this case will it be effective and bring the expected results.

What is this anomaly?

This anomaly is understood as a violation of the occlusion (closing) of the upper and lower teeth. It is determined by the forward displacement of the upper dentition relative to the lower one, with the jaws closed. Refers to dental defects. The upper jaw excessively overlaps the lower jaw. There is no contact between the teeth and their incorrect position is observed. The severity of the distal bite depends on the individual characteristics of the structure of the skull bones and the degree of their functionality. Such a defect threatens premature abrasion, tooth decay, and deformation of the facial skeleton. With such a defect, a child cannot chew food thoroughly and develops gastrointestinal diseases.

Signs

The main sign indicating the presence of this disease is the visual observability of an anomaly - such a defect is visible to the naked eye, and you do not need to be a specialist in orthodontics to determine such a deviation in a person.

In addition, pathology deforms the natural proportions of the maxillofacial apparatus. The chin becomes sharp and slightly raised upward. Doctors even defined this phenomenon as “bird beard.”

It is important to understand that this is not just a cosmetic defect; micrognathia threatens its “owner” with the development of the pathology of tongue retraction, which is considered a serious disease.

The anomaly causes frequent uncontrollable attacks of suffocation and poses a serious threat to the patient's life.

The disease is often diagnosed based on this characteristic feature - excessive retraction of the chin leads to wrinkling of the skin in its area, and the horizontal fold between the chin and lip is smoothed out.

In addition, underdevelopment of the lower jaw often goes hand in hand with chromosomal mutation processes, which leads to Patau syndrome.

A clear sign indicating the presence of this defect is also the incorrect location of individual fragments of the dentition.

In the case when some organs are missing, neighboring teeth change the direction of growth, trying to spontaneously fill the free space.

Diagnostics

To accurately determine the diagnosis and prescribe treatment for mesial occlusion, you will need to consult a specialist. If you notice signs of an abnormality, take your child to the orthodontist. Timely measures taken will allow you to solve the problem as simply and effectively as possible.

What is the diagnosis:

• The doctor will carefully examine the face in profile and from the front.
• Next, you need to take anthropometric indicators.
• The doctor will evaluate the occlusion and perform a functional test.
• The severity of the bite is assessed using special bite rollers.
• Additional methods are also used to study the anomaly: tomography, radiography, orthopantomography, etc.
• To confirm the diagnosis and assess the condition of the bite, a consultation with an orthodontist is necessary.
• To identify dysfunction, doctors perform electromyography of the masticatory and temporal muscles.
• In addition to consulting an orthodontist, in some cases the help of a speech therapist and an ENT doctor may be required.

Consequences

If the mesial occlusion of a child from 1 year to 5 years and older is not corrected in a timely manner, then with age this will not only become a more difficult task, but various unpleasant plastic changes and diseases may develop.

When the baby grows up, if left untreated, he may experience:

• Complications from the temporomandibular joint.
• Development of periodontal diseases.
• Changing the oval of the face.

Mesial occlusion can significantly complicate prosthetics and dental implantation.

Timely treatment by an orthodontist and elimination of pathology will help avoid all these unpleasant consequences.

How to suspect the development of a defect

How to identify malocclusion in a baby. Even a non-specialist can suspect the formation of this problem.

We list the most characteristic signs:

• uneven dental arches;
• crowding of teeth and their rotation around their axis;
• growth of units in the wrong place;
• gaps between teeth;
• presence of extra units;
• excessive overlap of the upper or lower jaw arches;
• no closure of incisors;
• facial asymmetry;
• moving one of the jaws forward;
• constantly open mouth;
• difficulty in nasal breathing;
• pathological abrasion of teeth;
• traces of injuries on the inner surface of the lips, tongue, cheeks;
• increased tone of facial muscles;
• difficulty chewing food;
• difficulty producing sounds.

Having discovered one or more of the listed signs in their baby, parents should take him to an orthodontist as soon as possible.

How much does it cost to correct malocclusion in children?

Correcting a bite in young children cannot be called expensive. Doctors use simple and inexpensive orthodontic appliances or recommend exercises. But an older child requires more serious treatment, and accordingly, the cost will be slightly higher. The cost of treatment depends on the severity of the pathology and the age of your child. The price of correcting defects with a plate or trainers for a 5-year-old child will vary from 3,000 to 6,000 rubles. Installing braces for children over 12 years of age will cost 100,000 - 300,000 rubles. Treatment with aligners, costing from 169,000 rubles, is available to adolescents aged 16–17 years.

Any dental correction in children should begin with a thorough examination. Correct and timely identification of problems makes it possible to eliminate dental anomalies in almost all patients. The success of treatment depends mainly on its timeliness. The sooner parents show their child to a professional, the greater the chance of eliminating the defect.