Preventive Orthodontics

A little foresight can go a very long way when it comes to preventive orthodontics! It’s possible to prevent pain, skip years of orthodontic appointments, save a lot of money, and avoid a life-time of regrets if you have the foresight to act before major problems manifest.

Preventive orthodontic treatment is a set of oral care protocols which can help stop the progression of misaligned teeth. In an otherwise healthy mouth, malocclusion (a condition where teeth of the upper and lower jaws are not properly aligned) can lead to serious bite problems such as crossbite, deep overbite, open bite and underbite.

Some of the procedures undertaken in preventive orthodontics include:

Parent Counseling

The most effective way to practice preventive orthodontics is to educate parents on proper oral health. This can start as early as prenatal and postnatal counseling, for example, to help stop tongue thrusting, clean the baby’s teeth (use a finger brush or soft cotton cloth) and to discontinue bottle feeding by 18 to 24 months to avoid future tooth decay.

Control Tooth Decay

Tooth decay occurs when bacteria breaks down teeth. When this occurs in the primary teeth (baby teeth), misalignment (malocclusion) can occur. We can teach you ways to control tooth decay through diet, topical applications and sealants.

Space Maintainers

A space maintainer device can hold space for a primary tooth that was either lost prematurely or has to be removed in order to create room for permanent teeth. The main goal of preventive orthodontic treatment is to successfully provide enough healthy space for permanent teeth to grow in. Space maintainers may be fixed or removable, and be made with or without bands.

Here at Poole Orthodontics, Dr. Stacy Poole and our staff strive to provide the highest quality of preventive orthodontic care to our patients in and around the Santa Maria, Lompoc, Nipomo, Pismo Beach, and Arroyo Grande, California.