Goals of Interception iOrthodontic Treatment

Melinda is such a sweet baby. Her mommy and daddy are so proud to show her off, except that her daddy has noticed Melinda has an awfully strong jawline for a baby. He has a strong jawline, even after surgery at age 23. He doesn’t want Melinda to go through what he went through as a child: teasing from other children, and taunting from teachers and coaches who thought he was a bully.

After three visits to dentists and orthodontists, Melinda and her parents have been told to wait until she has finished growing and see what her bite looks like. Her daddy is determined to find another answer. And he does; he finds a dentist who agrees that Melinda should be treated before the adverse growth has been allowed to create the need for surgery and an unattractive face throughout childhood. This dentist recommends the chin sling now. Mommy and Daddy are very happy.

An underbite, or anterior crossbite, is a condition in which the lower teeth are positioned in front of the upper teeth and often a sign of a Class III growth pattern. Even if there is not a Class III growth pattern, there may be one in the near future, due to the mandibular growth being uninhibited by the normal overbite and overjet of the maxillary incisors, and the maxillary growth may be inhibited by the crossbite position of the mandibular incisors. So, in effect, the growing child with a crossbite is “wearing” an appliance (the teeth in anterior crossbite), which will encourage Class III growth.