What the Evaluation Is
The Myobrace patient evaluation is the appointment that decides whether Myobrace is right for your child.
It is an assessment, not the start of treatment. You leave knowing what is causing your child's teeth to grow crooked, and whether this programme is the right answer for it.
For what the treatment itself involves, see Myobrace Johannesburg.
Why the Assessment Matters
Myobrace does not push teeth into line. It treats the habits that pushed them out of line, which means the assessment has to identify the habit before anything else happens.
Two children with identical crowding can need completely different treatment. One may be mouth breathing, the other may simply have a jaw narrower than their teeth. Only one of those responds to Myobrace.
What We Check
Breathing
Whether your child breathes through the nose or the mouth, awake and asleep. Mouth breathing changes how the jaw grows, so this is usually the first thing addressed.
Tongue position and swallowing
Where the tongue rests, and what it does when your child swallows. A tongue that pushes forward against the front teeth several hundred times a day moves them.
Lip and cheek muscles
Whether the lips seal comfortably at rest, and how hard the surrounding muscles work. These forces shape the arch from the outside.
Teeth, jaws and growth
How the teeth sit, how the jaws meet, and what the x-rays show of the adult teeth still forming underneath.
Sleep and daily habits
Snoring, restless sleep, thumb sucking, and how your child is doing at school. Poor sleep from disturbed breathing shows up in concentration long before anyone links it to the mouth.
What to Expect on the Day
- We talk to you both about what you have noticed at home.
- Your child is examined, and photographs and x-rays are taken.
- Breathing, tongue position and swallowing are assessed.
- We explain what we found, using the photographs so you can see it.
- You are given the realistic options, with what each involves.
Allow about an hour. Nothing is uncomfortable, and no treatment is started on the day.
Bringing Your Child
- Tell them it is a look-and-talk appointment, with nothing done to their teeth
- Note down what you have noticed at home, especially about sleep and breathing
- Mention any snoring, however mild it seems
- Bring a note of any speech or feeding difficulties, past or present
- Ages three to fifteen are all worth assessing, though seven onwards is most common
Parents often notice the important things and assume they are unrelated. Snoring, restless sleep and constant lip licking are all worth mentioning.
Questions Parents Ask
Is my child too young?
Rarely. Habits can be assessed from about age three, and the earlier a mouth-breathing pattern is caught, the less it shapes the jaw. Most families come between seven and ten.
Does the evaluation hurt?
No. It is looking, talking and photographs, plus an x-ray. Nothing is done to the teeth.
What if we decide against it?
That is a perfectly reasonable outcome, and you still leave knowing what is happening and what your alternatives are. There is no obligation attached to an assessment.
What You Leave With
You get a clear answer on three things: what is driving the crowding, whether Myobrace addresses it, and what happens if you do nothing for now.
Sometimes the answer is that Myobrace is not the right fit. Where the jaw is simply too narrow for the teeth, early interceptive treatment or conventional braces will serve your child better, and we will say so.
Where Myobrace does fit, you will also hear plainly what it asks of you. The programme depends on daily exercises done at home, and families who keep to them get the results.
Book a Myobrace evaluation if your child breathes through their mouth, snores, sucks a thumb, or has crowded teeth coming through. Finding the cause early is what keeps the options open.
Related Reading
- Myobrace Johannesburg – the treatment in full
- Early Interceptive Treatment – guiding growth from about age seven
- Crooked Teeth – why teeth grow out of line
- Traditional Braces – the conventional alternative
- Pit and Fissure Sealants – protecting new adult back teeth