Right To Grow

Right to Grow is an organisation dedicated to ending the practice of orthodontic growth stunting. Centuries ago, in the Victoria-era, the orthodontic industry took on a belief that children who were buck-toothed needed to have the growth of their skulls stunted in order to correct tooth alignment. Without understanding the long term consequences of stunting the growth of a skull, and without respect for the essential stages of growth that a child's face undergoes in order to fit a growing airway and growing blood vessels, orthodontists in that era created a belief structure that greatly influences orthodontic treatment today. Our aim is to legally ban the use any growth stunting appliance used on a child's skull. We are a team of patients and practitioners, backed by decades of published research and common sense that cannot be disputed. We stand for every child's right to their normal and unimpeded growth. We believe that every child has a right to develop to his or her full potential without a compromised airway or face. In orthodontic practice: Natural forward growth of the face should never be held back; Development of Dental Arches should never be restricted; Informed Consent explaining the known and published risks of retraction and extraction based orthodontic treatment must be provided to all patients, including the risks of facial elongation, flattening of the cranial base, dishing-in of the face, narrowing of the jaws, reduction of airway volume and development of sleep apnea.