INTERCEPTIVE ORTHODONTICS

After a century of development and evolution of orthodontics as a science through global dissemination of Facial Orthopedics procedures we come on the eve of the 3rd Millennium without a unanimous consensus on this issue. Using simple preventive and interceptive orthodontic procedures such as those aimed at maintaining space or its recovery control of oral habits and treatment of cross bite and open bite can prevent or lessen the severity malocclusion. Thus the early diagnosis of conditions affecting the normal development of dental occlusion can contribute to significantly reduce the incidence of malocclusions.Any treatment procedure that eliminates or reduces the severity of the developing malocclusion is referred as interceptive orthodontic treatment.By initiating orthodontic and orthopaedic treatment at an younger age the need for complex orthodontic treatment involving multiple extractions and orthognathic surgery is presumably reduced.The goals of early treatment involve correction of skeletaldental and muscular abnormalities to correct the oral environment before completion of growth and development.