FREE MYOBRACE® PARENT GUIDE Dr Aashish Mathesul
DR. MATHESUL | KALYANI NAGAR, PUNE | +91 8983101099 | WHATSAPP +91 8983101099 | www.dentist-pune.com
Chapter 1 — Straight Teeth Are Only Part of the Story
When parents look at a child's smile, the first thing they usually notice is the teeth. Are they straight? Are they crowded? Is there a gap? Those observations matter, but orthodontic development is broader than tooth position alone. During the growing years, an orthodontist also considers how the upper and lower teeth meet, how the jaws relate to one another, how permanent teeth are erupting, and how everyday oral functions are working.
Oral function includes habits and muscle patterns involved in breathing, swallowing and resting posture. Tongue posture, lip posture and the way the mouth is used at rest and during swallowing can be relevant pieces of the clinical picture. They should not be viewed as simple one-to-one causes of every orthodontic problem; rather, they are factors an orthodontist may observe when deciding what needs attention and whether a myofunctional approach could be useful.
This whole-picture approach is especially helpful for parents because a child can have teeth that look reasonably straight while still having a bite, eruption, jaw relationship or oral-habit concern worth discussing. Conversely, a child with some crowding may not need immediate treatment. The purpose of assessment is to understand what is happening—not to label a child or push a particular appliance.
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