What Kind of Treatment Is the Kids’ Pre-Ortho Appliance?

Hello,

I am Lee Ju-ri, the head dentist at Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic.

For parents raising young children,

there is a very popular appliance that you may already know about.

It is a myofunctional appliance called “Pre-Ortho.”

In fact, teeth can be moved later in life,

but the direction of jaw growth can only be adjusted during one specific period,

when children are young.

So if the treatment timing is missed,

it may be difficult to achieve the desired results even with more time and money later.

What kind of treatment is the kids’ Pre-Ortho appliance?

What is the Pre-Ortho appliance?

Pre-Ortho comes from the word Pre-Orthodontic.

In other words, it can be seen as a preparatory stage before full orthodontic treatment.

It is a treatment that helps control the direction of jaw growth and oral habits during a period such as ages 5 to 10, when baby teeth and permanent teeth are mixed, or when the dentition has not yet fully developed.

If orthodontics is about adjusting tooth alignment,

the Pre-Ortho appliance focuses on balancing overall oral function,

including the jaw, lips, tongue, and breathing habits.

Because it uses muscular force, it is a type of myofunctional appliance.

Does my child need it??

Because it is such a popular appliance,

many people say,

“I want Pre-Ortho for my child too!”

and make a direct request.

However, it does not apply to every case.

If your child has the following symptoms, we recommend a Pre-Ortho consultation:

• A child who cannot keep the mouth closed and is always breathing with the mouth open
• Sleeping with the mouth open at night, snoring, or teeth grinding during sleep
• Signs of an underbite with the lower jaw protruding
• Anterior crossbite, where the upper teeth do not cover the lower teeth
• Tongue thrusting, mouth-breathing habits
• Jaw asymmetry, lip asymmetry, etc.

Since Pre-Ortho focuses on restoring oral muscle function,

if there are symptoms such as mouth breathing

or keeping the mouth open,

it can be effective!!

Bad habits in early childhood can lead, as the child grows,

to secondary problems such as the direction of jaw growth, breathing issues, and facial asymmetry,

so early intervention is important.

It is also a treatment that can only be done in childhood.

The biggest advantage of the Pre-Ortho appliance is that

it also improves a child’s sleep quality.

For children who sleep with their mouths open,

it encourages nasal breathing

and helps them sleep well.

Example of wearing it

Because it can only be done in childhood,

around ages 5 to 10,

before the permanent teeth come in, is the most appropriate time.

If the timing is missed...

After growth is complete,

a more aggressive method such as surgery may be needed.

It is not necessary for every child.

These days, it is often treated as if it is a cure-all..

It is recommended only when the symptoms are obvious,

or when jaw growth is abnormal.

Lifestyle improvement, tongue posture training, and oral muscle exercises must be done together.

To determine whether your child is a candidate for the Pre-Ortho appliance,

a precise diagnosis from a specialist must come first.

Even with the same Pre-Ortho appliance,

the type differs depending on the symptoms, so the right choice is important.

In addition, it is essential to continuously check whether improvement is occurring after the appliance is used.

I hope today’s helpful information

was useful to you,

and I’ll wrap things up here!

Thank you.

#PreOrtho #PreOrthoAppliance #KidsPreOrtho