Dementia and Your Loved One
About Me
Dementia and Your Loved One

I've been a caretaker of an elderly woman with dementia for over two years. I've seen the effects of this mental affliction, and how devastating it can be to loved ones. This is why I am a firm believer in seeking a professional diagnosis, so the patient may receive necessary care and treatment. Once diagnosed at the onset of symptoms, a plan can be devised. Through social interaction and daily care, my charge has achieved a higher quality of life. If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, you can make a difference. Love will find a way.

Dementia and Your Loved One

Understanding Child Overbites And Orthodontic Repair

Vickie Armstrong

If your child has an overbite, then it is very likely that they will need some sort of orthodontic treatment to correct the bite. This is necessary for aesthetics and also for the proper function of the jaw. There are many different devices that can be used to assist with an overbite. Keep reading to learn a little bit about some of them and also when it is best to start addressing the bite issue.

What Can Assist With An Overbite?

Your child's orthodontist has a wide variety of tools he can use to help correct an overbite. These tools do include headgear. Headgear is the common external appliance that sits outside the mouth. These devices have a strap that sits around the back of the head and a wire apparatus that sticks out the front of the mouth. The devices move the teeth more quickly than other types of appliances because they use the head as an anchor to push the teeth backward. 

A headgear device is best used while your child's jaw is still forming and can be manipulated with direct pressure. Outside of headgear, elastics are often attached to braces to repair and overbite. These small rubber bands attach to both the lower and upper jaw. They simultaneously force the lower jaw outward and the upper jaw inward. Springs are also used to pull the front teeth back. This is often the case when there are wide spaces between the molars and the premolars. Sometimes, teeth are pulled to create this space.

When Is An Overbite Usually Repaired?

Overbites can be repaired at any time once all of the majority of the adult teeth have emerged. This is true of most orthodontic procedures. While this is true, an overbite is most easily corrected by the time your child turns 10 or 11 if they are a boy and closer to 13 if they are a girl. These years are when you are likely to see larger growth spurts. These spurts include the growth of the jaw, and treatment should be performed just before or during the largest growth spurt. Otherwise, the overbite issue is likely to worsen and may require a much longer treatment.

If you want to know if your child should start treatments, then speak with an orthodontist office like Rosenzweig Orthodontics. Nighttime headgear can often be used for several years before other orthodontic treatments are started, so your child can get a head start on dental straightening. 


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