Dental malocclusion is defined as any alteration in the alignment and/or leveling of the teeth, as well as in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together.
Dental malocclusion in children can be detected at the pediatrician’s office, as soon as the child has completed the primary dentition (around 2 and a half to 3 years of age) and the physiological functions of chewing, swallowing and phonation begin to develop.
At this age we can begin to prevent future malocclusions in the mixed dentition (from 6 to 12 years of age), although treatment in this period will be interceptive, non-invasive, and generally to control habits that are harmful to the dentition.
It is from the age of 7-8 years, once the child has its first permanent teeth, when the earliest orthodontic treatments are carried out. During this period of mixed dentition, orthopedic action is usually characterized by its action on the muscles and bones, rather than a real treatment on the position of the teeth.
We speak then of “functional treatments”, which act on bone growth in order to prevent or improve future malocclusions. It is not until the presence of complete permanent dentition (from the age of 11-12 years or so) that orthodontic treatment will be carried out with action on the true alignment of the teeth.