When in the mixed dentition, I find so often that many children are eager to get started with treatment and many parents, without an understanding of orthodontic treatment timing, are wanting to be proactive in the same regard. In this common scenario it is quite easy for these parents and patients to go along with any early treatment plan that is presented as beneficial. It is my strong belief that above just presenting an orthodontic treatment plan, it is the primary job of the orthodontist to educate parents and young patients on "need vs. want" as it relates to any early treatment. Knowing that later comprehensive orthodontic treatment will be needed in the vast majority of these patients years down the road, my preference is to educate them on the most conservative treatment measures (and often times no early treatment) necessary for their particular clinical problem set. The two most common clinical applications that fall under this category that I use very frequently are (1) modified rapid palatal expanders and also (2) modified composite occlusal bite ramps for anterior crossbites.
Learning Objectives:
After this lecture, attendees will be able to:
Understand a practical and effective way to differentiate need versus want as it relates to parent and child expectations of early treatment.
Simply and effectively maximize expansion in both arches with minimal appliances using a modified rapid palatal expander with elastics worn to caplin hooks bonded on the lingual of the lower first molars.
Quickly and easily fabricate a modified composite occlusal ramp to correct single and multiple tooth anterior crossbites in the mixed dentition.
