Childrens Dentistry

Myofunctional Orthodontics for the developing Child

Myofunctional Orthodontics is the treatment provided to a growing child to correct the following habits/problems seen when a patient is around 7-8 years old:

Misaligned Teeth (Crowding or Excessive spacing)
Tongue thrusting
Teeth-grinding
Cross bite/Deep bite/Overjet
Snoring/Sleep Apnoea

Frequently Asked Questions:

I was told best to wait until a child is older before correcting these problems. Why have treatment early as opposed to later?

Answer: Myofunctional orthodontics is to making use of the patient’s growth to correct simple orthodontic problems so they do not become worse over time. A lot of these problem, if corrected early, may even eliminate the need for the child to have orthodontic treatment later in life, or at least reduce the complexity of orthodontic treatment (Eg, avoiding surgery)

What is the difference between myofunctional orthodontics and traditional orthodontics?

Answer: Prevention is always better than cure. Traditional Orthodontics correct malocclusions when the teeth are already crooked. Myofunctional Orthodontics treats the child earlier so we create the right environment/spaces for the erupting teeth to erupt in the best most natural position.