INTERCEPTIVE TREATMENT

The purpose of Interceptive treatment is to prevent the need for future treatment or significantly reduce the complexity of future work. We may recommend early orthodontic treatment to allow the adult teeth to emerge as scheduled. 

Examples of Interceptive treatment:

• We may sometimes ask your dentist to remove a baby tooth to encourage the adult tooth to come through in a better position.

• Removable appliances such as an expander can be used to correct crossbites which affect how the teeth fit together and in some cases can prevent the development of a facial asymmetry or relieve crowding.

• Functional appliances can be used in cases where the upper teeth are very prominent and the lower jaw appears small. They aim to modify the forces on the teeth and improve how the teeth fit together, they may positively affect how the lips fit around the teeth and the facial appearance. There is some weak evidence to suggest that this can minimise the risk of dental trauma. 

• There are occasions where the adult teeth erupt on the wrong side of the lower teeth, this is called an Anterior Crossbite and early correction can prevent future dental health problems. Correction may be achieved through the use of a removable appliance or a simple fixed brace.