Our orthodontic services for children in Geneva

Q: Won't my child's teeth straighten as he grows?

The answer to this extremely common question is no! People sometimes hope that a simple or complex malocclusion will improve or correct itself with time and growth. Studies show that not all types of malocclusion improve on their own. In fact, most of these problems worsen over time without orthodontic intervention.

At what age should you seek orthodontic treatment?

A first orthodontic consultation is recommended around the age of 7, when the first permanent teeth have erupted. It provides an overall assessment of bone and tooth development, tooth position and occlusion.
A panoramic X-ray may sometimes be necessary to ensure that all teeth are present and developing normally.

This initial consultation does not necessarily lead to the start of orthodontic treatment. Our philosophy is to follow children throughout their dental development, so that we can offer the most effective treatment in the shortest possible time. It’s vital that we don’t fit braces too early, thereby prolonging treatment unnecessarily.

Orthodontic treatment requirements for children and adolescents

A full oral and dental check-up must be carried out before treatment begins. Any cavities must be treated before treatment begins.

It is also important to maintain good dental hygiene throughout treatment. Depending on the type of appliance, hygiene care may be more complicated and slightly increase the risk of caries development. The patient’s contribution to hygiene care is essential to the success of the treatment.

What types of orthodontic treatment are available for children?

Orthodontic monitoring or recall for children

If the first orthodontic consultation proves normal, and bone and tooth development are proceeding adequately in relation to growth, the orthodontist decides to place the child under supervision.

Follow-up appointments are scheduled at regular intervals (6, 12, 18 or 24 months) to monitor dental development and intervene if treatment is required.

The same applies if an orthodontic problem is detected, but can be treated more effectively at a later stage.

Interceptive orthodontic treatment for children

Some children may benefit from early treatment, usually around the age of 8 or 9. The aim of this type of treatment is to prevent more serious problems from developing, and to facilitate or shorten a later phase of treatment in adolescence.

These interceptive treatments do not necessarily guarantee perfect eruption of permanent teeth later on. They are generally followed by a second corrective phase. These allow the orthodontist to intervene to :

Guide jaw growth and thus minimize the need for maxillofacial surgery.
Minimize extraction of permanent teeth.
Stop bad habits from an early age.
Facilitate (faster and less costly) phase 2 treatments.

When is an interceptive treatment recommended?

Upper dental arch narrower than lower arch

This imbalance between the widths of the jaws can lead to significant functional problems, and requires correction with an appliance that expands the palate (hyrax).

Lower incisors in front of upper incisors

In all cases, this malocclusion requires early intervention in an attempt to direct bone growth and tooth position.

Chin deviation during mouth closure

Generally resulting from premature contact between deciduous teeth, this damage can lead to jaw deformity over time. Correction is then necessary, with selective grinding, or even extraction of deciduous teeth in extreme cases.

Upper incisors forward

This is generally the result of bad habits during childhood (thumb sucking over 4-5 years, tongue interposition, etc.), which can lead to functional problems with chewing or speech. Oral screen appliances are sometimes used to eliminate these bad habits. Upper incisors that are too far forward considerably increase the risk of trauma and fracture of these teeth.

Abnormal persistence of baby teeth

These milk teeth can interfere with the eruption of a permanent tooth and need to be removed.

Conventional orthodontic treatment for children

Conventional orthodontic treatment begins at the earliest, around age 10-11, and is carried out in the permanent dentition.

The teeth have reached their definitive size, but the jaws have not yet fully grown.

Orthodontic treatment can correct tooth alignment, close gaps between teeth, correct tooth tilting or change the way teeth fit together with fixed or removable appliances. The aim of conventional orthodontic treatment is not only to achieve an aesthetic result, but above all to limit the occurrence of oral pathologies.

In all cases, before orthodontic treatment is undertaken, full documentation (photographs, X-rays and digital impressions) and a discussion appointment will be scheduled to allow the orthodontic specialist to explain the diagnosis, treatment plan and cost in detail.

How can orthodontic treatment help my child?

Interceptive orthodontic treatment can prevent many health problems related to breathing, phonation and chewing. It can also help avoid longer, more complex orthodontic treatment in adolescence. Orthodontic treatment is used to solve many problems:

Aesthetics: misplaced teeth can be aesthetically embarrassing or disabling, and can affect self-confidence
Function: the more severe a malocclusion, the more oral functions can be disrupted:
– Mastication (it’s more difficult to eat properly with teeth that aren’t in the right position or aren’t properly engaged) ;
– Speech, phonation and pronunciation;
– Joint problems.
Dental wear: misaligned teeth don’t close properly during function and can wear prematurely, causing tooth enamel wear and other function problems. Maintenance and oral hygiene: misaligned teeth are more difficult to clean and encourage plaque build-up, which can lead to tooth decay and gum problems. In the long term, the gums and bone supporting the teeth can be affected.
Jaw growth and development: too great an offset between the jaws can lead to deviation of the mandible, preventing the mandible from expressing its full potential for forward growth…. Jaws that are too narrow or too short in relation to each other can affect breathing and the passage of air through the upper respiratory tract. In some cases, this can contribute to snoring and sleep apnea.

What causes my child's orthodontic problems?

Most malocclusions are hereditary in origin. Members of the same family often have similar problems. These problems include, for example, too little or too much space between the teeth, extra or missing teeth, and imbalances between the shape and size of the jaws. Other factors that can accelerate the development of malocclusions are acquired causes or external elements, such as
– thumb or finger sucking
– mouth breathing
– trauma or loss of a permanent tooth
– premature loss of a baby tooth
– malposition of the tongue

Won't my child's teeth straighten as he grows?

How much does orthodontic treatment cost for a child in Switzerland?

The cost of orthodontic treatment varies according to your child’s diagnosis, but in some cases can exceed CHF 10,000.

Swiss basic health insurance does not cover dental treatment. For orthodontic treatment to be covered, you need to take out supplementary dental and orthodontic insurance. For children, this could prove very useful in the event of dental anomalies. Compare the benefits offered by different insurers, in particular the amount of total coverage for orthodontic treatment, and the annual amount granted. Don’t forget that orthodontic treatment should be as short as possible… a large sum spread over many years won’t be much help, unfortunately!

Be careful when choosing your dental insurance: benefits vary widely from one health insurance company to another. In some cases, orthodontic treatment is only covered up to a maximum of CHF 1,000 per year, while in others, coverage can be as high as CHF 10,000 per year. In many cases, you will have to pay for part of the treatment yourself.

Don’t wait until you’ve started treatment to take out dental insurance: dental insurers require a waiting period of 6 to 12 months before reimbursing orthodontic treatment.

If your child’s orthodontic treatment is not covered by dental insurance, you can always request a payment arrangement at the Centre Médico-Dentaire Balexert.

Orthodontics for children and adolescents