Get a jump start on your child's dental health!
Early treatment (interceptive) orthodontics can make a world of difference in your child's dental health, smile and confidence! The best choice you can make as a parent is to schedule your child's first orthodontic evaluation when they are 7 years old. While the evaluation won't always result in orthodontic treatment, it will educate you on what concerns to anticipate for the future!
Early orthodontic treatment can do more than just straighten your child's misaligned teeth--you are giving them a boost of confidence and setting them up for a successful future and beautiful smile!
Why is Early Treatment Effective?
- Growing bones are easily influenced and more flexible at a younger age.
- The alignment can be simpler, more effective and less painful.
- Can minimize the need for complicated treatments later in life.
- Allows for the doctor to detect any early issues and concerns.
- Creates space for crowded teeth and reduces need for extraction.
- Reduces treatment time with braces with Phase 1 and Phase 2 Treatment plans, as necessary
What are the Common Dental Development Problems?
Upper Front Teeth Protrusion
The upper teeth are too far forward or the lower teeth are too far back. This not only affects the appearance of your teeth it can also affect the function of your bite.
Your top teeth extend over the bottom, in some cases causing the lower teeth to hit and or bite through the roof of the mouth.
The upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth, which can cause the patients jaw growth to become misaligned.
This can prevent the ability to chew properly, as it is when the teeth to not touch together. It can also promote unwanted side effects such as tongue thrusting.
The teeth do not have adequate room to erupt from the gums. This is something that can often be addressed early on to avoid tooth removal.
These issues can be from alignment issues which are aesthetic or it can be caused by missing teeth
Dental Midlines Not Matched
This is considereda a slightly more serious issue as it can affect the jaw as well as proper dental function. This is when the patients bite does not align appropriately.
What Kinds of Treatments Are Available?
For children, straightening smiles or correcting misaligned teeth can require special treatment. Orthodontics can correct crooked teeth or bad bites (known as malocclusions), and there are a variety of treatments available to improve your child's smile. These treatments can effectively support the healthy structural development of teeth throughout childhood and adolescence.
There are a variety of orthodontic treatments to address bad bites and crooked teeth. For children whose permanent teeth have not all come in, an expander is a tool to encourage correct growth and expansion of the upper dental arch. An expander can help support the correct spacing of permanent teeth and minimize the need for orthodontics later on.
Braces are a very common form of orthodontics. Made of stainless steel, plastic, or combinations of materials, braces are more comfortable and inconspicuous than ever. Sometimes, clear plastic "trays" can be used instead of braces to straighten teeth. Involving children in their care in fun ways like letting them choose the color of the elastics on their braces can help to inspire enthusiasm for caring for their teeth. Although lightweight wires and flexible materials help to lessen discomfort from braces, soreness may still occur, especially after adjustments or tightening. This pain is typically minimal, however, and usually treatable with over-the-counter NSAIDS like ibuprofen.
Once braces are removed, teeth are commonly held in place for a period of time with a retainer. As children's teeth can still move easily, a retainer prevents the teeth from sliding back to their original positions after the removal of braces. Accompanying braces, other orthodontic tools like nighttime headgears or rubber bands may also help effectively straighten teeth and improve malocclusions.
Orthodontics can help improve alignment and straighten teeth for children of many ages, from the very young to those in adolescence. While there are many types of orthodontic treatments available, all of them function essentially by placing pressure on teeth and jaws to encourage proper alignment.
A variety of orthodontic "appliances" are available today, thanks to on-going research in orthodontics. Options include traditional metal braces, tooth-colored braces, braces that go behind the teeth, clear aligners and other devices, as appropriate. Check with your orthodontist about the best way to achieve your treatment goals.
Today's orthodontic appliances are comfortable and efficient, also contribute to a stable, long-lasting result. While the appliances used in orthodontic treatment have come a long way since orthodontics became dentistry's first specialty in 1900, what endures is orthodontists' desire to help you achieve your healthiest bite possible.
All these treatments require some special home care instructions which a pediatric dentist and their staff will review. In all cases, dental hygiene is critical, so brushing twice each day and flossing daily can help not only keep teeth clean and protected, but also support the cleanliness of any orthodontic devices in the mouth. Food can become caught or stuck in the wires of braces, for example, which requires a more thorough brushing and flossing routine. Rinsing with water or dentist-recommended mouthwashes can also help to loosen debris and keep braces clean.
Orthodontic treatment is an important method of straightening smiles and providing healthy bites for children from early childhood through adolescence. Obtaining an orthodontic assessment before a child's seventh birthday, as well as maintaining regular follow-up and following all home care instructions during treatment, can help them achieve proper oral development, straight teeth, and a healthy smile.