What dental problems can arise in children with mixed dentition?

For every parent, teething in a baby is a cause of worry and sleepless nights. The formation of dental units is a complex process and requires due attention from parents. Let's figure out when everything goes well without any deviations, and when the help of a specialist is required.

Bite is the arrangement of one row of teeth relative to another with absolute closure of the jaws. Bite formation is an integral part of oral health. Starting from the first days of birth, the baby begins the processes of bite formation. The dental system develops over twenty years.

Experts distinguish several periods of bite formation:

• temporary (milk);
• removable;
• constant.

Milk bite

Two stages of development: the process of formation itself and the formed bite. For each stage there are deadlines in which dental units erupt in order. The timing is determined by human physiology.

Appearance sequence

Babies are born toothless, although the rudiments are already present inside the gums. The process of teeth emerging is usually accompanied by tears, periodontal swelling and increased body temperature.

Teeth begin to erupt when the baby is three to four months old. This process lasts approximately three years. These are conditional boundaries that depend on the individual characteristics of each child.

Teeth erupt in pairs: the lower pairs appear first, and only then the upper ones.

Sequence of appearance of baby teeth:

• The central incisors begin to erupt in the fifth month of the baby’s life and end in the ninth.
• The lateral incisors erupt between five and seven months.
• Molars appear at the age of about a year, the process can last up to one and a half years.
• Fangs erupt between thirteen and twenty months.
• The remaining molars appear starting from the twentieth month of a child’s life and finish erupting at the age of two and a half years.
• Premature babies' teeth may start to erupt later.

Temporary occlusion has several distinctive features, which can be divided into groups according to stages of development. Formation period:

• the lower jaw develops more slowly than the upper jaw;
• the dentitions are located symmetrically;
• paired teeth do not completely touch each other.

Formed temporary bite:

• teeth move away from each other due to the fact that the jaw itself becomes larger;
• pronounced abrasion of all units;
• free space appears behind the molars.

You need to take care of your oral cavity from the very first tooth. First, cleaning is carried out using a fingertip, and then using a brush. Clean baby teeth with special pastes that do not contain abrasive particles.

Many people believe that baby teeth do not need to be treated, since over time they will be replaced by permanent teeth. It's not like that at all. The milk bite affects the formation of the permanent one.

Consultation with a specialist in the formation of primary occlusion may be necessary in the following cases:

• if the teeth grow unevenly and they do not have enough space in the oral cavity;
• teeth do not erupt in a timely manner or the rudiments of milk units are absent;
• jaw injury;
• removal of molars.

Correction Methods

There are several methods for correcting malocclusion in childhood. At the initial stages of the problem, children may be shown myogymnastics, nutrition correction, or wearing removable devices.

For children under 3 years of age, soft elastic structures are recommended to prevent damage to the mucous membranes of the mouth, for example, lip bumpers.

The device helps correct pathologies of the maxillofacial apparatus and is shaped like a silicone pacifier.

It is possible to prevent the development of an abnormal bite due to the rapid loss of primary teeth with the help of removable orthodontic structures.

After 4 years, the fight against pathology is carried out according to a different scheme. To correct a pathological bite, the following are used:

Orthodontic plates

The devices are intended for children from 4 to 10 years old; they are manufactured individually depending on the parameters of the patient’s jaw.

The shape of the plate resembles an overlay covering units of both jaws and a system of fastenings. Due to the fixing element, the force of pressure on the teeth changes.

Orthodontic plates perform a number of important functions:

• prevent further development of existing defects;
• move incorrectly located units to their normal position;
• adjust the parameters of the palatal wall.

The effect of the structures can only be achieved with continuous wear , so parents need to ensure that the child does not remove the plates from the mouth. At night, the device should also be in the child’s mouth.

Trainers

Most often they are installed from the age of 7. Trainers are made of dense silicone using computer modeling.

The following types of trainers are used in pediatric dentistry:

• periodontal – redistribute the chewing load between all teeth;
• for braces – prescribed to older children and used to correct deficiencies in the masticatory apparatus;
• retainers – prescribed after the main course of treatment with braces to consolidate the results obtained.

In 90% of cases, treatment with trainers gives positive results. In addition, after wearing the devices, no additional installation of corrective structures is required.

The success of therapy largely depends on the child’s ability to wear the device for the prescribed time.

Let's figure out together how the pacifier affects the bite, and how to avoid problems.

In this article we will tell you how to correct a crooked jaw.

Here https://orto-info.ru/zubocheliustnye-anomalii/chelyustey/lechenie-rezko-vyirazhennyih-kompaktosteotomii.html read what compactosteotomy is and to whom the operation is indicated.

Mouthguards

The structures are made from hypoallergenic materials . Mouth guards can be standard or custom-made to fit the patient's jaw. In the latter case, the effect of using the devices will be more noticeable.

The devices are sold in sets. Each of them is designed to last several weeks of wear. During this time, the teeth have time to change their position to install the next aligner.

Thus, the dentition gradually returns to its normal anatomical position. The treatment period ranges from six months to 2 years.

You should know! Orthodontic plates and aligners are removed during meals and when brushing teeth.

Structures require regular hygienic care. They are washed under running water and treated with antiseptic solutions.

Braces

The optimal time for installing structures is 9-10 years. Braces are a thin arch attached to clasps, which, in turn, are fixed to the teeth. The arc controls the force of pressure on the elements.

Depending on the material, braces are divided into ceramic, metal, sapphire, plastic, and combined.

Teenagers may be offered lingual systems, which are installed on the inside of the dentition.

These braces are less noticeable, but require longer basic correction times and more careful maintenance.

Changeable bite

This stage begins at the age of five or six years. At this point, the oral cavity contains both milk and molars, and the former are just beginning to fall out.

The replacement bite consists of two stages:

• appearance of incisors and sixth teeth;
• eruption of lateral units.

Features of a replaceable bite:

• rapid jaw growth;
• dental mobility;
• resorption of the roots of baby teeth.

The help of a dentist during this period may be needed if the permanent tooth has erupted, but the milk tooth in its place has not yet fallen out.

When all the baby teeth have fallen out, the period of mixed dentition ends.

Price

The cost of correcting a bite is not limited to the installation of orthodontic structures. The therapy consists of successive stages, for each of which the patient is forced to pay:

• consulting a doctor and choosing the appropriate treatment method;
• diagnostic measures to identify contraindications to the procedure and measure jaw parameters;
• installation of devices selected in advance by the orthodontist;
• adjustment of orthodontic systems and their replacement;
• removal of fixed structures.

The cost of installing each orthodontic system should be considered separately:

• plates – 6,000–7,000 rubles;
• trainers – 7,000–10,000 rubles;
• mouthguards – from 15,000 rubles per set;
• braces from 16,000.

Permanent bite

Stages of development:

• appearance of the last molars;
• the appearance of wisdom teeth and the development of jaw arches;
• The formation of the jaw bones ends (age about twenty-five years).

Anomalies of permanent occlusion can develop due to developmental failures at previous stages of formation.

How to prevent the development of pathologies:

• proper breastfeeding of the baby;
• prevention of rickets;
• weaning yourself from the habit of constantly sucking a pacifier;
• constant care of teeth and gums;
• properly selected hygiene products;
• timely change of toothbrush;
• timely introduction of solid foods into the diet.

Prevention will help reduce the risk of developing malocclusion. However, unfortunately, there are factors that are not related to oral care and timely prevention. Other causes of malocclusion include:

• genetic predisposition;
• underdeveloped jaw muscles;
• ENT diseases, due to which the child’s mouth is always open;
• jaw injury.

If symptoms of malocclusion are detected, parents should immediately consult a dentist, since the consequences of the anomaly can be serious:

• intestinal problems;
• breathing problems;
• incorrect pronunciation of sounds;
• diseases of the ENT organs;
• problems with teeth and gums.

Causes of anomalies

For the correct formation of a permanent bite, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the teeth in early childhood. This means that the primary units also require careful care and dental treatment, just like the elements of the permanent dentition.

If you do not remove the caries-affected milk fragment in a timely manner, then there is a high probability that the entire dentition will begin to form asymmetrically.

The remaining units will move to the empty space area. As a result, the development of the alveolar process will slow down.

At 9-10 years of age, removal of milk units is considered justified. In this case, the development of bite pathologies is not observed.

By adolescence (12-14), the risk of malocclusion after tooth extraction increases again.

It is necessary to consider in more detail what can result from premature loss or removal of primary teeth.

Loss of incisors

Early loss provokes the mixing of the fangs in an anatomically incorrect position and the tilt of the remaining elements.

Deciduous incisors perform an important function - biting off pieces of food and redistributing the chewing load between all teeth.

In addition, the absence of incisors negatively affects a person’s appearance, since they are located in the smile zone.

You should know! Orthodontists consider premature loss of primary incisors to be a serious problem. Because of this, the remaining teeth are displaced relative to the center line of the face.

Displacement of elements relative to the center line is also observed with pathological abrasion of enamel and friction of teeth against each other.

Visual signs of senile progeny and pathology treatment tactics.

Let's talk here about measures to prevent malocclusions.

At this address https://orto-info.ru/zubocheliustnye-anomalii/okklyuzii/chto-takoe-sindrom-kostena.html all the most important things about the treatment of Kosten syndrome.

Loss of primary molars

Pathology also leads to a displacement of the row relative to the center line of the face. Children with an absent first painter should undergo regular dental examinations (at least once every six months).

Loss of second primary molars

The problem can cause the permanent molar to shift and create an abnormal bite.

If it was not possible to avoid the loss of a baby tooth, then parents need to regularly show the child to an orthodontist, who will decide on the need for treatment.

The main goal of therapy in this case is to preserve sufficient space for the full eruption of the permanent element.

To do this, a specialist may recommend wearing corrective devices that prevent the remaining teeth from shifting into empty space.

From the video, learn more about the dental problems that arise with mixed dentition.

How is the treatment of caries of permanent teeth in children and adolescents under 16 years old at the GALA DENT clinic?

Treatment of caries of permanent teeth in children should be carried out with maximum consideration of the psychological factor and must be done by a CHILDREN'S dentist with full local anesthesia and, if necessary, sedation. Read more about anesthesia for children.

We select the anesthetic drug and its dose individually for each young patient and use the latest generation of anesthetics that are safe for children.

Dental treatment under general anesthesia is not advisable, because it affects the child’s entire body and is justifiably used only in the most extreme cases, although to parents the “put to sleep and cure” option sometimes seems to be the best way out.

Uncomplicated caries of permanent teeth in children is treated in the same way as in adults. First, anesthesia is performed, then the tooth is thoroughly cleaned of damaged tissue and filled. For permanent teeth in children, we use high-quality photopolymer (light-hardening) filling materials, the same as for adults, with precise color matching to the natural color of the enamel.

Also, do not forget about the restoration of the chewing surface of the tooth - for adolescents this is a very important stage of treatment, because the correct formation of the entire dental system, which is in a period of active growth, depends on the quality of interdental contacts.

The total duration of treatment for one visit to the dentist in adolescence should be no more than 40-50 minutes.

How does the treatment of pulpitis of permanent teeth in children and adolescents differ from the treatment of adults?

Newly erupted “young” permanent teeth do not yet have formed roots. Therefore, if pulpitis in a teenager is to be treated, the doctor must first find out, using x-rays, whether the roots of the diseased tooth have formed or not. If the roots are not formed, then the treatment of the tooth canals is carried out as sparingly as possible.

Unfortunately, the method of partial removal - amputation of the pulp, which is often described on dental websites as acceptable in this case, does not work well in practice. It gives too many complications and a 100% guarantee that the tooth canals will need to be re-treated, so this method of treatment is practically not used in our clinic.

You also need to remember that if you do not seek dental care in a timely manner or if a doctor makes a mistake, pulpitis in adolescents quickly becomes complicated and turns into purulent forms, periodontitis (inflammation of the tissues surrounding the tooth) and even sepsis (blood poisoning).

When the construction of teeth is considered incorrect

The main signs of malocclusion:

• Complete or partial absence of tooth contact during occlusion.
• Impaired chewing of food.
• Sound pronunciation defects.
• Changes in the shape of the face due to jaw deformations.

Pathological types of bites

Pathological occlusion is diagnosed if there are structural deviations from normal anatomy in the structure of the dentofacial apparatus, and disturbances in the functioning of the masticatory muscles and the temporomandibular joint are also detected.

Mesial

A distinctive feature of this type of abnormal bite is the advancement of the lower dentition in relation to the upper one.

Patients with mesial occlusion have a characteristic appearance - a massive protruding chin, a receding upper lip, and a concave facial profile. There are chewing disorders and speech defects.

Deep

With a deep bite, the upper incisors cover more than 50% of the lower incisors. In some cases, the upper incisors, when closing the teeth, reach the gums of the lower jaw and injure them.

Although orthognathic, biprognathic, and straight bites are normal, these types of bites can cause the following problems: damage to the enamel, chipped crowns, and injuries to the soft tissues of the oral cavity.

Open

The main sign of pathology is the presence of a vertical gap between the dentition in the area of ​​the frontal or chewing teeth.

An open bite is often formed against the background of narrowing of the alveolar arches, which is why the teeth have an irregular shape and are crowded.

Symptoms: lengthening of the lower third of the face, slightly open mouth, hypertonicity of the facial muscles, impaired diction, difficulty breathing, inadequate chewing of food.

Cross

Due to the displacement of the lower jaw to one side, the dentitions close like scissors crosswise, and underdevelopment of the jaw on one side is noted. Facial asymmetry is pronounced.

Distal

This is a variant of a pathological bite, in which the lower dentition moves back in relation to the upper one. In this case, the frontal (front) group of teeth does not connect, and the chewing teeth contact incorrectly, which creates the preconditions for blocking the normal development and growth of the lower jaw.

Facial signs of distal bite:

• protrusion of the upper jaw;
• shortening of the upper lip and lengthening of the lower lip;
• sloping chin.

Dystopia

A type of abnormal bite when the teeth on the upper or lower jaw are located outside the dentition and not in their place. In addition, with dystopia, the teeth are often turned around an axis.

Professional oral hygiene for temporary occlusion: techniques

Professional cleaning is necessary for any teeth. It is carried out in milk, mixed and permanent dentition, removing plaque. The method of dental treatment is selected according to the age of the child. For preschoolers, use one of two options:

1. Mechanical cleaning. The doctor manually cleans the grooves and smooth areas with special pastes and brushes. Carefully removes dirt from interdental spaces and hard-to-reach areas of the oral cavity. To make the child feel good, Aza&Buka dentistry uses “tasty” pastes with fruit flavors - safe and hypoallergenic. Mechanical cleaning is recommended for baby teeth and is performed for children with temporary dentition.
2. Air Flow – hardware cleaning using a water-air jet with soft abrasive particles. The composition is selected taking into account the age of the young patient - powder with glycine for children over 4 years old or with calcium bicarbonate for children aged 8-10 years. Hardware cleansing removes plaque, thoroughly cleans enamel, and removes any type of pigmentation on teeth.

Ultrasonic cleaning is used to remove tartar from permanent dentition. The technique is not used for temporary teeth

Prevention of pathologies

Prevention of mixed dentition defects begins in childhood and includes the following measures:

• breastfeeding, which ensures the correct physiological position of the lower jaw;
• choosing bottles with tight nipples for artificial feeding;
• refusal of nipples during teething;
• introducing solid food to a child from 6-8 months of age (active chewing contributes to the chewing load on the jaw);
• control of the child’s position in sleep;
• ridding the baby of bad habits;
• performing gymnastics for the lips and tongue;
• visit the dentist when the child reaches 1 year of age.

It is difficult to avoid genetic bite defects even if you follow preventive rules. In order to prevent the development of anomalies, they resort to the help of an orthodontist. At 3-4 years of a child’s life, a specialist may suggest grinding the cutting edges of the teeth.