More and more scientists come to the conclusion that as we evolve as human species our jaws are getting smaller and the size of the teeth remains the same. The change in diet and agriculture has been associated with the reduction of our jaw size. As a result, a lot of us end up with football player’s teeth in ballerina jaws. So in the future, we expect that there is going to be more need for orthodontics to accommodate the limited spacing.
Additionally, since the bone housing is so limited, the orthodontist many times can only move the teeth so much and many times at the end of the movement we see a lot of gum recession like in this case:
What is periodontal pre-orthodontic augmentation (POPA)?
One of the new procedures that we provide here at Synergy Periodontics and Implants is POPA.
In cases where the bone in front of the teeth is too thin and the orthodontist needs to expand the arch, then we can add bone and soft tissue, essentially increasing the space in which teeth can move!
Also, by adding bone and gum tissue, we can prevent recession and other periodontal issues!
The following images are taken from a paper published by Marianna Evans et al.
Prior to treatment
Immediately after procedure and final outcome.
The cherry on the cake is that this procedure can be combined with Invisalign and makes the speed of teeth movement MUCH faster! In certain cases it can reduce the necessary time by six months.
Also, since we are able to open the arch more with the addition of tissue, there is emerging evidence that it may help with the amount of air we can inhale. In certain cases, this may help with sleep apnea or breathing deficiencies. Your ballerina jaws could be causing more issues than you think!
Schedule your appointment with us today!
Airway before and after image by Marianna Evans et al.