Dentofacial anomalies and deformations are a fairly common pathology of the dentoalveolar system. According to domestic scientists, they occur on average in 33-37% of the surveyed, and sometimes this figure reaches 50-55% and even more. The percentage of dentoalveolar anomalies increases significantly (up to 58%) in the examined, suffering from other dental diseases (caries, parodontosis), general diseases of the body (up to 70%). Therefore, their prevention and timely treatment are very relevant.
Prevention of dentoalveolar anomalies and deformations is a complex of measures that are aimed at preventing and eliminating etiological and pathogenetic factors that contribute to or cause the occurrence of dentoalveolar anomalies.
Their prevention begins with the fetal development of the fetus and consists of a number of activities: favorable housing conditions, a proper lifestyle, adequate mother nutrition, monitoring a woman during pregnancy.
From the first days after the birth of the child, hygienic care for newborns, strict observance of the usefulness and regime of day and night sleep, staying in the open air, rational nutrition, proper feeding are of great preventive importance.
The natural (maternal) feeding of a newborn child is the most important process for the harmonious development of the bones and muscles of its dentoalveolar system. If, for any reason, the child is fed artificially, then it is necessary to provide not only the optimal amount of nutrients, mineral salts, vitamins, but also to create conditions that should approximate the nutrition with artificial mixtures to the act of sucking the maternal breast.
In a later period - after teething - the child should gradually be taught to chew solid foods (raw vegetables, fruits, bread with crust), which will promote normal growth of the jaws, proper formation of the dentition, and of course, and bite.
An important preventive measure is the prevention in the child of diseases causing a violation of the mineral metabolism, which lead to a decrease in the calcium content in the child's body (rickets, dyspepsia). Essential in the occurrence of dentoalveolar anomalies are pathological processes in the nasopharynx, leading to a disruption of nasal breathing. Therefore, the nasopharynx of the child should be constantly examined and, if necessary, treated. Tempering a child, regular outdoor activities, physical training, and rational nutrition are effective preventive measures that prevent the development of the body, including dentoalveolar anomalies, from developing.
The destruction of teeth due to their multiple lesions with caries usually leads to different deformations of the dentition. From this follows the conclusion that children need to treat not only permanent, but also temporary (dairy) teeth. At early loss of a teeth the reliable preventive agent is a dentoalveolar prosthesis. One of the most common causes of the emergence and development of dentoalveolar anomalies and deformations are bad habits. These include sucking of fingers, tongue, cheeks, biting of lips, mouth breathing, violation of chewing.
The habit of sucking fingers often occurs in children who have been on artificial feeding. The harmful long-term habit of sucking a thumb can lead even to a violation of posture. This applies also to the habit of gnawing at the nails, to hold between the teeth a pencil, a pen.
During the formation of a permanent bite in children and adolescents, it is necessary to monitor the timely restoration of destroyed permanent and milk teeth.
For prophylaxis of dentoalveolar anomalies, dispensary observation of children in organized children's groups (nurseries, kindergartens, schools) that provide scheduled examinations of children, sanitary and educational work, early detection and treatment of dentoalveolar anomalies is very important. The better organized the prevention, the earlier the orthodontic treatment begins, the more successful it is. And therefore you need to go to the dentist twice a year.
REMEMBER!
Self-regulation of anomalies of teeth and jaws is rare, even in physically healthy children. The child will develop normally if he has healthy teeth. For proper development of the maxillofacial device, it is necessary to observe the diet, prevent infectious diseases of children, and in time to disaccustom them from bad habits.
If you notice the incorrect position of the individual teeth and jaws in the child, you should immediately consult an orthodontist.