Hundreds of children are needlessly committed to oral surgery every year!

Nov. 27, 2012 - PRLog -- Recent studies have confirmed what many orthodontists have believed for a long time - removing teeth can be detrimental to the growth and development of a child’s smile, facial appearance and long term health.

One dental professional that supports non-extraction orthodontic treatment is Dr Michael Chong of Image Dental located in Perth

Dr Chong believes that removing teeth is unnecessary and states that:

‘Tooth extraction should be thought of as an amputation, and should only be undertaken when absolutely necessary…’

In fact many dental and orthodontic professionals agree that extraction orthodontics can be detrimental to the development of a child’s facial appearance and most importantly their long term health.

Traditional orthodontic treatment primarily focuses on removing teeth to make room within the jaw. Dr Chong favours a more holistic approach in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard of 99-77-22, that is 99% of his patients at the age of 77 must have at least 22 natural teeth.

Dr Chong says:

“…removing teeth has been found to lead to a range of complications among children which can negatively influence their appearance and overall health for life”.

He points out that extraction orthodontics does not focus on widening the jaw to ideal proportions.

“Narrow jaws don’t leave enough room for the tongue, which can lead to respiratory issues and even life-threatening conditions such as sleep apnoea…” he says.

Michael believes that extraction orthodontics also contributes to the downward growth of the face, which can lead to flattened profiles and facial drooping. As with all tooth extraction procedures there is also the risk of jaw bone deterioration, gum recession and even TMD which can cause chronic headaches, jaw and neck pain.

Contemporary dental professionals like Michael Chong from Image Dental believe that healthy teeth should not be removed

“Instead of removing teeth to accommodate a narrow jaw, why not expand the jaw to proper proportions in order to accommodate all 32 adult teeth…” says Michael.
Early intervention is the key to this non-surgical orthodontic technique. If children visit their orthodontist by the age of seven and undertake appropriate orthopaedic  or orthotropic treatment, this can not only save their smile from extraction, but can also guide the development of their jaw and facial structure to avoid potential jaw surgery to correct a misaligned bite later on.

This gentle approach to orthodontic treatment produces dramatic results, by developing a more attractive facial structure and supporting the future overall health of your child.

At Image Dental located in Perth, Dr Michael Chong employs a conservative approach to all aspects of his dental care

To support the facial development and future overall health of your child, Dr Chong urges all parents to explore the orthodontic options available before committing to oral surgery for their child. By visiting a non-extraction orthodontic professional by the age of 7, your child may be able to avoid oral surgery down the track and achieve optimal health and facial development at the same time.

Image Dental in Perth has been crafting beautiful smiles since 2007, and is located at 2 Kearns Crescent, Applecross. To find out more about our high quality dental treatments, or to book a consultation at our dental practice located in Perth please call us on (08) 9364 3996 or visit our website at www.imagedental.com.au