Adolescence is a crucial phase in which many changes take place in the body. This also affects the development of teeth and jaws. Most orthodontic treatment takes place in the second phase of tooth change, when the permanent side teeth erupt. This is referred to as the main treatment.

The most common reasons for this are:

• Lateral crossbite
  A lateral crossbite is caused by an upper jaw that is too narrow and always leads to a shift of the lower jaw towards the crossbite side. The forced position of the lower jaw can cause asymmetrical growth in the jaw joint, the growth center of the lower jaw. It is therefore advisable to specifically guide jaw growth by using braces.

• Overbite
  A gap of more than 9 mm between the upper and lower front teeth not only makes it difficult for children to bite, but also increases the risk of front tooth trauma (e.g. when falling off a bicycle, playing ball or tripping) and thus damage to permanent front teeth. It is therefore advisable to specifically guide jaw growth by using braces.

• Frontal crossbite
  A frontal crossbite often occurs due to excessive growth of the lower jaw, which means that the front teeth cannot meet properly. In this case, it is advisable to try to slow down the growth of the lower jaw early on and to guide it specifically by using braces.

• Lack of space/cramped conditions
  Lack of space or crowding means that the teeth cannot be cleaned sufficiently and the risk of tooth decay and periodontal disease increases. In addition, the bite is usually not properly supported, which can lead to pre-contact, which puts strain on the jaw joints and leads to loss of tooth substance due to excessive wear. Our aim is to preserve all teeth and avoid tooth extractions if possible. In our orthodontic practice heyzahn in Obermenzing, you have specialists at your disposal who can usually make the necessary space available even when there is a significant lack of space.

• Open bite
  An open bite is a form of tooth or jaw misalignment in which the upper and lower front teeth do not meet correctly, even when the mouth is closed. The name "open bite" comes from the fact that there is a visible gap between the upper and lower incisors when the mouth is closed. The tongue is often the trigger here and therapy in collaboration with a speech therapist is required. Through close collaboration with our speech therapist Franziska Jargon, we can ideally coordinate our therapies and thus achieve very good results.

• Deep bite
  A deep bite is a form of tooth or jaw misalignment in which the upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth to a great extent when the mouth is closed, so that the lower front teeth are almost no longer visible. This can lead to functional problems due to overloading of the jaw joints, as the bite is not properly supported here.

Dr. Ewen and the team at heyzahn Obermenzing usually recommend removable braces until all permanent teeth have come through - normally at the age of 12. The preparatory growth can be exploited in the second phase of tooth change with special functional orthodontic braces and thus the jaw misalignment can be regulated. The tooth misalignment is then regulated using fixed braces or transparent dental braces, so-called aligners. A complete orthodontic treatment usually lasts 4 years or 16 quarters and consists of an active treatment phase followed by a retention phase with removable braces. Since teeth can shift throughout a lifetime, we also recommend individually made fixed retainers, which we only attach behind the front teeth in the upper and lower jaw.

Is your teenager’s oral health important to you?
If you would like to arrange a quick appointment for diagnosis or treatment - even on weekends - or need further information about your first visit to heyzahn, you can contact us by phone at 089-9731-3969 or send us an email to info@heyzahn.de .

We are happy to answer any questions you may have about orthodontic treatment for adolescents!

Your orthodontic team from heyzahn Obermenzing Munich