Supporting Healthy Growth. Creating Balanced Smiles.
A healthy smile involves more than straight teeth. The position and relationship of the jaws, teeth, and surrounding facial structures can influence bite function, breathing, dental alignment, and overall facial balance.
At Farrow Orthodontics, Dr. Farrow takes a comprehensive look at these relationships to understand how the smile is developing and determine whether facial growth treatment may be beneficial. When treatment is appropriate, the goal is to create the right conditions for healthier function, improved balance, and a confident smile.
What Is Facial Growth Treatment?
Looking Beyond the Teeth
Facial growth treatment focuses on how the teeth, jaws, bite, and facial structures work together. Rather than looking at tooth alignment alone, Dr. Farrow evaluates the complete picture to identify growth patterns or structural relationships that may benefit from orthodontic treatment.
Depending on your individual needs, treatment may involve customized orthodontic appliances or other techniques designed to create space, improve jaw relationships, support proper development, and establish a healthier foundation for the smile.
Every treatment plan is based on the patient’s unique anatomy, bite, growth pattern, and orthodontic goals.
When Can Facial Growth Treatment Help?
Addressing More Than Alignment
Certain orthodontic concerns involve the relationship between the teeth and jaws, not simply whether the teeth are straight. Facial growth treatment can help address these underlying relationships and support better function and balance.
Treatment may be considered for concerns such as:
- Narrow dental arches
- Significant crowding
- Crossbites
- Overbites or underbites
- Uneven jaw development
- Limited space for permanent teeth
- Teeth erupting in unfavorable positions
- Certain oral habits affecting development
- Imbalances in the relationship between the upper and lower jaws
Timing depends on the individual. For growing patients, certain concerns may benefit from treatment while development is still underway. In other cases, monitoring or a different treatment timeline may be the better choice.
How Facial Growth Treatment Works
Treatment Designed Around Your Development
Facial growth treatment is highly individualized. Dr. Farrow begins by evaluating the teeth, bite, jaw relationships, facial proportions, and overall orthodontic development.
For patients who are still growing, treatment may take advantage of natural growth to help influence how the teeth and jaws develop. Other treatment plans may focus on improving arch form, creating space, correcting bite relationships, or establishing better balance between the upper and lower jaws.
Throughout treatment, Dr. Farrow closely monitors progress and adjusts care based on how the smile and facial structures respond.
The Benefits of Facial Growth Treatment
Building a Stronger Foundation
When facial growth treatment is appropriate, it can help improve more than the appearance of the smile. The goal is to establish healthier relationships between the teeth and jaws while supporting long-term function and balance.
Treatment may help:
- Create additional space for proper tooth alignment
- Improve bite relationships
- Guide jaw and dental development
- Correct certain crossbites
- Reduce significant crowding
- Address oral habits that affect development
- Improve dental and facial balance
- Support more comfortable, efficient function
- Simplify future orthodontic treatment in some cases
The goal is not to treat every patient the same way or begin treatment before it is needed. It is to identify the right treatment at the right time for each individual.
Timing Matters
Knowing When to Evaluate Growth
There is no single age that determines when facial growth treatment is appropriate. The best timing depends on the concern being addressed, the patient’s stage of development, and how the teeth and jaws are positioned.
For younger patients, an orthodontic evaluation around age 7 can provide an early look at developing bite and jaw relationships. This can be especially helpful when there are concerns involving crowding, crossbites, jaw development, or the eruption of permanent teeth.
An evaluation does not automatically mean treatment is needed. In many cases, Dr. Farrow will simply monitor development and recommend care when the timing offers the greatest benefit.
Personalized Care for Every Smile
Every smile develops differently, and facial growth treatment should reflect that. As a board-certified orthodontist, Dr. Farrow evaluates the complete relationship between the teeth, bite, jaws, and facial structures before recommending treatment.
Her goal is to understand what is happening beneath the surface and create a plan designed around each patient’s specific needs. Whether treatment is recommended now, later, or not at all, you will have a clear understanding of your options and what comes next.
Find the Right Path for Your Smile
If you have questions about bite alignment, jaw development, crowding, facial balance, or the way your smile is developing, a comprehensive orthodontic evaluation is the best place to start.
Meet with Dr. Farrow to better understand what is happening and whether facial growth treatment could support a healthier, more balanced smile.
