This patient had the beginnings of crooked teeth.  We now know that by utilizing modern orthodontic techniques at as early an age as possible, many future problems can be alleviated and in some cases even totally eliminated.  For this little girl, we used a retainer called a Schwarz appliance.  The center screw in the appliance was slowly widened over about a year's period.  This changes the shape of the actual jawbone during an active growth period.  This expansion of the jawbone allows for more room for the teeth and will either eliminate the need for extracting permanent teeth or may even totally eliminate the need for braces later on.