Why Children Need Braces Consultations?
An examination by an orthodontist for your child is necessary at an early age. Orthodontists are dentists specializing in straightening and aligning teeth. Orthodontists help to identify and rectify any blemish in the teeth of your child.
While some children like the idea of getting braces, most find it a terrifying prospect. Finding out that your child needs braces can be stressful for the parents also. Most people consider braces and other orthodontic treatments to be part of teenage life.
However, you may need to consult your child with an orthodontist as early as seven years old to get the best results. Consulting earlier allows for the early recognition of any defect and also grants better results from treatment.
Orthodontists employ an interceptive approach using dental appliances if your child still has milk teeth. When the permanent teeth grow, the traditional method of using dental braces ensues.
The duration of permanent braces is much shorter than the period of only using dental braces on permanent teeth, due to the early start of treatment. Let’s proceed to know why kids require braces in the first place.
Why Do Children Need Braces?
Children may require braces for correcting a variety of issues. When the teeth are not perfectly straight or if there is overcrowding of teeth or any other mismatch, they might require using braces. Early treatment of children allows their developing jaws to expand and grow to accommodate the full set of teeth adequately.
A bad bite or malocclusion is the condition in which the teeth of the upper jaw and lower jaw do not coincide with each other. Overbite is the condition in which the upper jaw is larger than the bottom jaw. An underbite is a condition when the lower jaw is larger than the upper jaw.
Sometimes crossbite may transpire, where the upper set and the lower set of teeth may not meet while biting down, but remains a little outside or inside of the correct position. Open bite condition may also appear where the front sets of teeth from the upper and lower jaws do not meet when biting down even when the back teeth meet.
Any trauma that occurs during a young age, such as falling and losing a tooth may also cause defective teeth growth later in life. Hereditary problems of the bad bite are also not uncommon and need treatment for correction.
If any defective teeth conditions are left as they are, they may cause severe damage or disintegration of teeth after several years. Therefore, regularly consulting your child with a dentist will permit the early notice of a condition requiring orthodontic treatment such as braces.
What Is The Procedure For Wearing Braces?
If the patient is underage, then the parents or guardian should accompany them while visiting the dentist. The mouth of the child will undergo a thorough examination by the orthodontist, in which they may ask the child to bite down to check for problems.
The orthodontist may also enquire the child about any issues in chewing or swallowing. The orthodontist may take photographs and x-rays of the mouth to check for problems and decide on the best course of action to rectify the faults.
Evaluation of the position of permanent teeth, which is yet to develop is possible with the aid of x-rays. The orthodontist will take an impression or mold of the teeth of your child by using a gooey, wax-like material and pushing it on the upper and lower teeth.
Diagnosis of the condition of the teeth of the patient is achievable by assessing the results of these examinations. The orthodontist will also give an estimate of the treatment cost to the patient.
TYPES OF BRACES
Braces are equipment installed directly on to the teeth to provide constant pressure on the teeth to correct the teeth into the correct position slowly. If the correction the child needs on the teeth is small, braces made with brackets, rubber bands, or wires will be sufficient.
The brackets use rubber bands and wires to secure on the teeth. Increasing the tension of the wire or rubber band ensues gradually over the treatment period. Rubber bands in a range of colors are available as an incentive for the children.
Metal braces are also still in use and are procurable in ceramic, white or colorless varieties which are less noticeable than metallic braces. Braces attaching to the backside of the teeth are handy to conceal the presence of braces in the mouth completely.
Removable braces comprising of plastic trays or aligners also obtainable although they are applicable only in some instances. There also exists a misconception that braces are not suitable for teeth with caps or fillings.
Children’s teeth crown comprising of white crown works well with braces. Regular checking of braces after installation is mandatory. The duration for which your child needs to wear braces depends on the teeth conditions that need correction.
Retainers aid to keep the teeth from drifting back to original positions after the removal of braces. A thin plastic piece in the shape of a mouthguard or a solid plastic piece including metal wires makes up a retainer.
CONCLUSION
Wearing braces can cause extreme discomfort and problems during eating in the initial days, while your child adapts to their presence. You will need to talk to your child if the dentist recommends wearing braces to ensure they understand and support the decision.
Besides protruding teeth, improper teeth positioning can lead to speech impairment, grinding and wearing of teeth, pain in the jaw, and strenuousness while eating or chewing. If your child has any of these symptoms, you need to consult an orthodontic dentist immediately.
Jessica Smith has been writing articles for e-business and elance sites for more than 4 years. Her educational background is Masters in English and journalism which gives her a broad platform to write on a variety of topics with ease and efficiency. She is an independent writer especially enjoys writing on fashion, health, fitness, education, career, and lifestyle.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.meddentsafety.com/catalog/genoray-papaya-3d
2. https://unsplash.com/photos/97D1TzGPbss/download?force=true
3. https://unsplash.com/photos/pikRHqsanlM/download?force=true
5. American Association of Orthodontics
Author Bio
Jessica Smith has been writing articles for e-business and elance sites for more than 4 years. Her educational background is Masters in English and journalism which gives her a broad platform to write on a variety of topics with ease and efficiency. She is an independent writer especially enjoys writing on fashion, health, fitness, education, career, and lifestyle.
