Dentofacial orthopedics is the process of “normalizing” the growth of a patient’s bone structure and repairing the imbalances of the face and jaw. While orthodontics entail the management of tooth movement, dentofacial orthopedics involves the guidance of facial growth and development which occurs primarily during childhood. Dentofacial treatment monitors and corrects growing of the dentofacial structures including those conditions which require movement of teeth that have malformations of their related structures.

This is a specialized treatment and distinction earned by orthodontists who have received their orthodontics specialization in dental school and have completed a two to three year residency program.

As part of the treatment surgery may be used to adjust the jaw bone and find the proper bone alignment before the treatment with braces begins. With dentofacial orthopedics, both children and adults can use the treatment however children are often the best candidates for dentofacial orthopedic therapy.

Your child can be examined by the orthodontist so they can monitor their growth to determine when to start treatment that will be most effective.

Dentofacial orthopedics can also be used to treat adults however this process may involve surgery. In children the jaw bones are still in formation and have not completely hardened which makes it easier for orthodontists to control bone growth and tooth movement alike. Adults may no longer be growing and with their jaw bones hardened it does present a challenge in adjusting the bite and moving the teeth into a proper aligned state if the facial bones are misaligned.

Malocclusions, or bad bites, can also be identified and treated before they become more serious cases, Bad bites including crowded teeth, protruding teeth, crossbites, and open bites contribute to tooth decay, gum disease, chipping, uneven tooth wear, poor tooth growth, and even speech impediments.

While many patients envision braces when they think of the orthodontist, early treatment assists us in identifying teeth and jaw issues before they require extensive and expensive intervention.

Our goal is to focus on ensuring tooth and jaw alignment is complementary to your facial symmetry and balance. With dentofacial orthopedics we wish to achieve proper tooth alignment which is functional and comfortable to attain a proper bite while keeping the treatment as pain free as possible with end results being long lasting.

We at Leifert Orthodontics use dentofacial orthopedics with the latest up to date technology to help you or your child achieve the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.

To learn more about dentofacial orthopedics and see if this type of treatment is the right fit for you please Contact Leifert Orthodontics today to set up a consultation.