For the Oral Health of Children

Child/Adolescent Orthodontics is a treatment modifying occlusion, tooth alignment, and jaw bones during growth period. It reduces the probability of malocclusion. If your worry about the occlusion of your children, please consult us first.
On the other hand, since our policy is not to perform orthodontics too early, we do not start treatment immediately as soon as child patients come in most cases. The reason is that children’s jaw is growing continuously, so occlusion usually get better naturally without doing anything. It is not necessary to do over treatment. Even if the child has a true necessity to be treated, we will select the optimal timing to start it under careful examination.

The Problem of  Too Early Orthodontic Intervention

If you are the parent in Japan, you will find many surrounding children are having orthodontic treatment from 5~6 years old. This is because a method called “Syou-Kyousei”, which is performed with removable appliance, is very popular in Japan. Many dentists dedicating this method advocate that “dental arch expansion starting from early ages can prevent teeth extraction hereafter” and promote it with relatively lower price to incite parents. It is a very successful business. However, from our experience, only few children need orthodontics from such low ages. On the contrast, early orthodontic without correct knowledge may cause disaster results. Let us introduce two of them.

Elongate Treatment Span Uselessly

The dentition of child is a mixture of deciduous (milk) teeth and permanent teeth from 6 y/o to 12 y/o. If we start orthodontics from 6 y/o, it shall be finished after 12y/o that all permanent teeth are erupted. It will take more than 6 years! We can compare with adult orthodontics, which takes 2 years in average. Moreover, these 6 years is the essence of childhood. We think we should let children to grow without any orthodontic devices if possible.

Cause Impaction or Resorption of Teeth

The permanent front teeth (incisors) usually erupt on 7~8 y/o. Many parents get worried if the alignment of them is not good. However, aligning these front teeth without careful planning is very dangerous. Because there are still some tooth germs in the jaw bones, aligning incisors may block eruption path of these germs, especially upper canines. This is so-called impaction. Moreover, impacted canine sometimes goes front and absorb the root of incisors (root resorption). The most severe case of resorption cause incisor extraction.

Optimal Timing of Child Orthodontics

It is difficult to judge the timing of child orthodontics, depending on the opinions of orthodontist. Performing orthodontics causes several disadvantages, as we have described. But on the contrast, being afraid of these disadvantages too much may miss the best intervention timing. Diagnosis of child orthodontics needs such precise judgement.

We hope orthodontics produces the maximal benefits to children, thus efficient treatment without any wasting is required. This is the chance to display our ability to the full as experienced orthodontists. We can provide optimal treatment plan with best timing for all children.

Child Orthodontics	Fundamental Fee	¥330,000

Flow of Child Orthodontics

Child orthodontics can be divided to two parts: Stage I and Stage II treatment. The treatment goal and span are different between I and II.

Stage I Treatment

If necessary, the treatment may be started from 6~7 y/o. The aim of treatment here is not to align teeth, but to “guide growth” of jaw bones and prepare the situation for permanent teeth eruption. After Stage I completed, the Stage II can be performed. (Sometimes treatment will be all completed only with Stage I.)
Treatment span: 1~2 years
Frequency of visit: once in 1~3 months

Stage II Treatment

Treatment performed after the permanent teeth are erupted (about 12 y/o). This the so-called orthodontics to align teeth and is almost equal to adult orthodontics. Finishing, detailing, and building esthetical dentition is the goal in this stage.
Treatment span: 1~3 years
Frequency of visit: once in a month

Optimal Treatment Timing Judgement

Pay Special Attention to Your Child’s “This Tooth”

The following situations should actually be given more attention than irregularities such as crooked or protruding teeth. Parents themselves and general dentists often fail to notice these, so we recommend early “consultation” with an orthodontic specialist. However, we repeat, even if such conditions exist, do not rush into orthodontic treatment without carefully evaluating the risks and benefits of the treatment and then deciding on the appropriateness of orthodontic intervention.

Impacted Teeth (Maifukushi)

There are teeth that are delayed in eruption or remain “buried in the bone” due to lack of space for eruption, abnormal position of the tooth bud, or the influence of supernumerary teeth.

Especially in children’s mouths, this commonly occurs in the upper front teeth, canines (the third tooth from the front), and wisdom teeth (third molars). Particularly, impaction of the upper canine, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, also carries the risk of resorbing the roots of the front teeth. Our clinic uses dental CT to accurately determine the position of the impacted teeth and predict the direction of eruption, and we provide orthodontic treatment to correct the direction of eruption and ensure space for the teeth to emerge properly.

Supernumerary Teeth (Kajoushi)

“Supernumerary teeth,” where more teeth are formed than the usual number, are commonly found in children’s mouths.

Some are already erupting, while others remain buried in the gums (impacted supernumerary teeth). Especially, impacted supernumerary teeth can delay the eruption time of adjacent permanent teeth, cause gaps in the teeth (diastema), and, in the worst cases, also pose a risk of root resorption. When future impact is considered, we remove them at the appropriate time while caring for the child’s psychological well-being.