Orthodontic treatment for children often raises questions about using braces on baby teeth. While traditional full braces are generally not applied to primary teeth, orthodontists use specific early interventions to guide dental and jaw development in young children.
Why Braces Aren’t Used on Baby Teeth
Traditional braces are not placed on baby teeth because these teeth are temporary and designed to eventually fall out. Each baby tooth acts as a natural placeholder, reserving space for the permanent tooth that will emerge beneath it. The roots of baby teeth naturally resorb, or dissolve, as permanent teeth develop and prepare to erupt. Applying fixed braces to teeth actively losing root structure would not be effective for long-term movement and could complicate natural exfoliation.
Braces apply continuous, precise forces to permanently reposition teeth within the jawbone. This prolonged force is not suitable for the delicate and transient nature of primary teeth. The goal of orthodontic treatment is stable alignment, which is not feasible for teeth that will soon be replaced.
Early Orthodontic Solutions
Children often receive early orthodontic care, known as Phase 1 or interceptive orthodontics. This treatment commonly occurs between ages 6 and 10, when a child has a mix of baby and permanent teeth. Appliances like palatal expanders, space maintainers, and habit appliances are used during this period. For example, palatal expanders gently widen a narrow upper jaw, creating more space for permanent teeth and correcting crossbites.
Space maintainers are used if a baby tooth is lost prematurely due to decay or injury, ensuring that adjacent teeth do not drift into the empty space. This preserves room for the permanent tooth to erupt correctly. Habit appliances, such as tongue cribs or palatal bars, help deter harmful oral habits like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting, which can negatively impact jaw and tooth development. In some specific cases, limited braces might be applied to a few selected permanent teeth that have already erupted, but not across the entire arch of baby teeth.
The Purpose of Early Treatment
The aim of early interventions is to guide jaw growth and create a healthier environment for permanent teeth. By addressing issues like severe crowding or bite discrepancies while a child’s jaw is still developing, orthodontists can prevent more complex problems from emerging later. Guiding jaw development ensures adequate space for all permanent teeth, potentially reducing the need for tooth extractions in adolescence.
Early treatment also corrects harmful oral habits that affect dental alignment and speech. The focus is not on achieving perfectly straight teeth at this stage, but rather on laying a proper foundation for future dental health and potentially simplifying or shortening later orthodontic treatment. It establishes proper bite relationships and improves overall oral function.
What Comes Next
Following successful early orthodontic treatment, children typically enter a “resting period” during which they are regularly monitored as their remaining permanent teeth emerge. Growth and development continue. The orthodontist assesses the eruption of permanent teeth and ongoing jaw development.
Once most or all permanent teeth have erupted, usually around ages 12 to 14, a second phase of treatment, known as Phase 2, may be initiated. This phase often involves traditional full braces or clear aligners to achieve precise tooth alignment and refine the bite. The initial Phase 1 treatment often makes Phase 2 more efficient and less extensive, contributing to a more stable and aesthetically pleasing result.