[이데일리 이순용 기자]Kim Mo (39), the mother of an elementary school child, has a problem. This is because recently, when a child has a hard time chewing rice when eating, he can’t cut noodles with his front teeth. I’d like to start orthodontic, but I can’t easily decide if the child’s teeth are all missing and the child’s teeth are permanently repaired.
Malocclusion refers to an esthetic and functional problem that occurs when the mouth is closed, because the teeth of the upper and lower jaws are not properly engaged or the arrangement is uneven. The jaw may make a’crackling’ sound, and the rice may not be able to be properly chewed when eating.
There are various types of malocclusion depending on the symptoms, including anterior protrusion in which the upper and lower jaw and front teeth lean forward, open occlusion in which the upper and lower teeth do not engage with each other even when the mouth is closed, and the upper jaw tooth covers the lower jaw tooth beyond the normal range. There are occlusion, counter-occlusion in which the lower jaw tooth bites in front of the upper jaw tooth, and the rotation of each tooth and the dislocation of the tooth position.
The cause of malocclusion is a large genetic part. However, in addition to the shape and size of the natural teeth and jaws, it can also appear due to the influence of the growth environment, lifestyle, posture, and cleft lip. Therefore, it is important to establish proper lifestyle habits and posture from childhood before growth is complete.
As malocclusion has various causes and symptoms, it is important to find the cause and establish a treatment plan through clear diagnosis and examination. According to the judgment of the orthodontist, radiology examination, facial photographing, tooth photographing, and tooth modeling can be used.
Malocclusion aims at both functional and aesthetic treatments. Usually, there are various treatments for treatment through orthodontic methods, but currently, fixed orthodontic treatment through brackets is most commonly used. After attaching devices such as orthodontic wire and rubber band to the bracket, visit the Orthodontics Department every 3 to 4 weeks to check the movement and progress of the teeth, and plan and proceed the next treatment step. Orthodontic treatment for malocclusion takes from 1 to 3 years. In the case of highly skeletal malocclusion, which is difficult to resolve with only tooth movement, treatment may be performed with orthognathic surgery that changes the position of the jaw as well as movement of the dentition.
If malocclusion occurs in childhood and is not properly treated, it can lead to various complications, which requires special attention. Since the teeth are not aligned, dental caries or gum disease can easily occur, and the likelihood of tooth trauma is increased. It is also difficult to chew enough food, which can lead to chronic digestive problems. In addition, sequelae such as pronunciation disorder or jaw joint disorder may occur.
Therefore, it is important to receive regular dental checkups and treatments. In addition, if you have a bad lifestyle or posture related to the oral cavity in the growing season, you should be guided to detect and fix it early. Above all, it is good to make the hygiene management and examination of the teeth a habit because permanent teeth can also be healthy if the teeth are kept healthy.
Professor Soo-Hyun Lee of the Department of Orthodontics, Anam Hospital, Korea University said, “In childhood, the arrangement of teeth can be deformed even with small differences in lifestyle, and if this continues, it is highly likely to lead to malocclusion.” It is important to start treatment early to prevent malocclusion through medical treatment or to reduce complications if malocclusion cannot be prevented due to inheritance. If the malocclusion, which has existed since childhood, is left unattended, it may worsen in adulthood.”
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