Kids’ Orthodontics in Santa Cruz Works to Solve Overcrowding Issues

We provide kids orthodontics in Santa Cruz, and one of the most common concerns parents have is if their child has overlapping or overcrowded teeth. This tends to be a particularly common issue, as children are in the process of losing their baby teeth and gaining their permanent ones. We have solutions to address this issue as part of an overall orthodontics treatment, and in some cases, we work to create more space before ever putting braces on. Here is what you need to know about our process.

Overcrowding can happen for a variety of reasons, but the most common are:

#1 – Teeth shifting due to early tooth loss

When your child loses a tooth on the playground or loses one due to decay, it can create a problem. Baby teeth serve an important role in helping your child develop their speech patterns and for helping them properly chew their food. Teeth perform another important duty: holding space for their adult teeth. If a baby tooth is lost too early, the remaining teeth can begin to adjust their position and encroach upon the open space. Once the adult or permanent tooth is ready to come in, the spot will no longer be available. To reduce the likelihood of this happening to your child, maintain good oral hygiene at home, have a child's teeth cleaned by a dentist twice a year, and have them wear a mouth guard while playing sports.

#2 – Their palate is simply too small

If your child does not have a large enough palate to accommodate a full set of teeth, we will need to enlarge the palate. Enlarging the palate takes work and assistance from our orthodontics solutions. Fortunately, it is entirely possible to solve this problem.

As a provider of kids orthodontics in Santa Cruz, we can address this issue using several methods:

• Spacers. We can place small metal bands around their teeth. These bands will work to create space, and if they are on several teeth, more room will be created so the teeth can move into the correct position. This works well for minor overcrowding issues or in combination with an expander.
• Expander. To widen your child’s palate, we can place an expander on the roof of his or her mouth. This expander will be adjusted on a daily basis so it slowly pushes outward. As it does, the palate is forced to expand, room is created, and their teeth may begin to move or adjust accordingly. It is very effective.
• Extraction. We prefer to use non-invasive solutions. However, if you would like to explore extracting some of your child’s teeth, this is certainly a way to create space.

When you bring your child to visit us for kids orthodontics in Santa Cruz, we can examine them, take X-rays, and let you know what solutions would work best for their particular situation. In some cases, parents select an option based on cost, while others select the least invasive method. Whatever you choose, we will incorporate it into their treatment plan so your child can end up with a beautiful smile and teeth that are perfectly positioned.