Crooked bite – what childhood mistakes lead to it?

Malocclusion can develop for a variety of reasons. Most often it is a combination of environmental and genetic (including evolutionary and anthropological) factors. The first group of causes, i.e. environmental factors, plays a very important role in children. Eliminating them can protect the toddler from abnormal bite development.

Environmental factors have a great influence on the proper development of the jaws, and thus on the bite and shape of the child’s face. The jaw bone builds the middle part of the face, therefore its correct – upstream growth will determine the aesthetic appearance of a child’s mouth in adulthood. In addition, a well-developed jaw will contribute to the development of a wide palate and an adequately clear airway, and will also make the dental arch sufficiently developed to accommodate all permanent teeth. Proper development of the jaw allows the child to breathe freely through the nose, contributes to the correct position of his tongue and that he is less likely to develop bite weight. So what should we pay special attention to so that the child’s jaw grows properly?

Bow. stom. Kamila Wasiluk lists the main environmental factors influencing the incorrect development of the bite:

Mouth breathing

When a child has obstructed airways due to, for example, chronic sinusitis, a deviated nasal septum, a hypertrophied third tonsil, chronic infections of the upper respiratory tract, allergies or incorrect positioning of the tongue, it often develops the habit of breathing through the mouth.

Mouth breathing is the main cause of malocclusion. It is due to the constantly open mouth and the low position of the tongue that the development of the jaw, and thus also the mandible, is incorrect. If, from an early age, as a child grows, their mouth is open and their tongue is at the bottom of the mouth instead of on the palate, their arches will become narrower than they could be and they will not be able to properly accommodate all permanent teeth, resulting in tooth crowding. and a less attractive facial appearance.

Incorrect position and work of the tongue

When properly resting, the tip and back of the tongue should lie on the palate and exert a slight pressure on it. If, on the other hand, the tongue is low, at the bottom of the mouth, the dental arch narrows, causing the teeth to be crowded and the airways constricted.

The correct position of the tongue is often disturbed by the shortened sublingual frenulum. It is also worth paying attention to whether the tongue discreetly slips between the teeth while speaking (this is the so-called interdental lisp).

Wrong position of the lips

It occurs when the lips are not touching each other at rest. This is due to poor strength and tension in the muscles surrounding the mouth (i.e. the circular muscle of the mouth) and the habitual breathing through the mouth.

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Faulty swallowing function

It is a disorder of physiological activity in which the tongue is placed between the teeth and not on the roof of the mouth during the act of swallowing. The muscles of the cheeks and chin also take part in this activity, which at this point exert pressure on the bones of the face. This is evident in the characteristic grimace. The act of swallowing should not involve these muscles, only the muscles of the tongue and throat. The tongue should press against the roof of the mouth when swallowing.

Parafunctions, or harmful habits

Habits, such as sucking your fingers or keeping a soother or a bottle teat in your mouth all day, can also disrupt the development of your bite. Fortunately, children grow out of this type of behavior early enough that the resulting bite irregularities are even able to correct themselves.

Childhood caries

It leads to the loss of deciduous teeth and is another and one of the most frequent causes of malocclusion. Tooth loss as a result of extraction results in the migration of teeth adjacent to the gap. This phenomenon is especially unfavorable for the developing dental arch when the second milky molar is lost and the fixed first molar is shifted in its place. As a result, the dental arch is shortened and there is no room for erupting premolars and canines. In this case, the tooth erupts outside the arch or may even be retained in the bone.

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Diet

It is worth taking care of a child’s diet from birth. Ideally, it is breastfed. Constant, repetitive effort while suckling the breast promotes the proper development of the craniofacial muscles, which ensures the proper development of the masticatory system. Thus, the risk of malocclusion in the future is reduced. An important element in the proper development of the masticatory system is also introducing food of appropriate consistency after 6 months of age.

Initially, soft pieces of vegetables and fruit should be served and gradually replaced with harder ones. A preschool child should easily eat hard pieces of vegetables and fruit (carrots, apples). Chewing on harder foods stimulates the masticatory organ to develop properly, especially the masseter muscles and the bones of the jaw and mandible. The force released by chewing and contracting the muscles influences the development of the craniofacial bone by increasing the size of the bone and the length of the dental arch. Weakening of these mechanisms can lead to tooth crowding and other malocclusion.

How to prevent malocclusion in children?

The orthodontist explains that malocclusion in children can be prevented and it is up to us, parents, to decide whether we will take steps to develop a correct bite, and thus an attractive face with a beautiful smile. – If you notice any of the above symptoms in your child, go to an orthodontist who, if necessary, will treat the bite and additionally refer the child to an appropriate specialist doctor (ENT, allergist) or speech therapist. In the case of muscular dysfunctions or poor tongue position, it is worth considering myofunctional therapy, which is handled by a qualified speech therapist or physiotherapist.

According to the American Academy of Orthodontics, a child should have their first orthodontic follow-up visit no later than the age of seven. However, in fact, any functional problems often start much earlier. Therefore, personally, I am of the opinion that the first preventive visit to the orthodontist with a child should take place when the child has full milk teeth, i.e. at the age of about three years – says the specialist.

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