Children who are born prematurely have smaller teeth and may be more likely to require orthodontic treatment later on, a new study has found.

Orthodontics is a specialised branch of dentistry that aims to improve the appearance and position of the teeth and jaw bones. The aim is to produce better functioning teeth and a more attractive smile and this is done using braces.

According to Swedish researchers, doctors are learning more and more about the physical and mental effects of being born prematurely. In recent years, the dental health of these children has also been studied.

This latest study involved 80 children who were all born before 33 weeks of pregnancy. All were born in the mid-1990s and were monitored up until they got their first permanent teeth between the ages of eight and 10.

The results showed that their teeth were up to 10% smaller than children who were born at full-term (after 37 weeks). Furthermore, the earlier they were born, the smaller the teeth tended to be.

As a result, premature children tended to have teeth that were further apart. While this is not a serious problem in relation to dental health, it can be aesthetically displeasing if there are large gaps between the teeth, commented researcher, Liselotte Paulsson-Björnsson, a specialist in orthodontics at Malmö University.

"We have examined how their teeth are developing and, among other things, we've looked at their bites. We've also checked their need for orthodontic adjustments and found that it is greater than in the control group, children born at full-term," she explained.

However, she noted that these issues ‘can be addressed'.

"We can move teeth if the gaps between them are too large and there is also good material to extend teeth if they're too small," she said.

She added that she is now planning to carry out a new study to see how these children get on in their teens.