Pediatric Dental Associates offers orthodontist Wyckoff services. They offer free evaluations in their office, which you can find in Ridgewood, New Jersey. In addition to offering orthodontic services, PDA also offers top quality pediatric dentistry.

The MARA appliance, which stands for Mandibular Anterior Repositioning Device, serves the purpose of correcting an overbite. It is a fixed functional appliance, which in other words means that patients are not able to remove it when they please. Once the orthodontist inserts the contraption into the patient’s mouth, it remains there until the orthodontist decides that it is time to take it out.

The benefit of a device like this is that it allows the patient to grow accustomed to how it feels. If a patient has the option of removing a device any time that he or she experiences discomfort, the chances are that even those with the will to regulate their overbites and the drive the endure a bit of pressure every now and again will eventually break the rules. But if you remove the option entirely, you can ensure that the device serves its purpose.

The way the device works is it forces patients to go about their days with their jaws in the correct position. Naturally, at first, the patient will experience a bit of pain and discomfort. Little by little, the jaw grows accustomed to this positioning. The key is that the device removes the option of it returning to the more comfortable positioning it was in as an overbite.

In case you’re pondering whether it’s worth it to use this device, consider all the problems that can occur upon neglecting to correct an overbite.

Pain in the jaw

An overbite can lead to chronic pain in the jaw. That’s because the joints in the patient’s mouth are misaligned. This pain is constant, but becomes more severe when the patient is using his or her jaw to eat food or bite things.

Damage to teeth and gums

The mouth, like every part of your body, is a delicate thing. When one has an overbite, that causes his or her teeth to rest in odd, unhealthy positions. The teeth are supposed to sit on top of one another. When one chews while his or her teeth rest in odd positions, the results is damage over time to the shape and health of the teeth. Similarly, in some cases, depending on how severe the overbite is, the teeth may strike the gums. While this wouldn’t be problematic if it happened a few times, the fact that it happens every single time a patient eats food means that it can lead to serious issues within a matter of years.

Social implications

Society has stigmatized poor dental health, crooked teeth and overbites in the United States. This can result in bullying by classmates, difficulty forming romantic relationships, and limited options as a professional later in life. That’s why it’s best to take care of these kinds of issues as early as possible. The youngest that experts recommend a child has his or her first orthodontist appointment is at the age of seven.

Ready to set up an appointment to deal with that overbite for your child? Contact Pediatric Dental Associates of Ridgewood. To learn more about our orthodontist Wyckoff services, give us a call at (201) 652-7020.