Orthodontics and your kids
Orthodontics and your kids
Kids are not so much aware of the harm these candies and soda drink may cause them. However we as parents should understand and know that these things do nothing but harm their teeth. And it’s not just about these candies and soda drinks, they have a keen interest on eating chips. Now with such erratic eating habits they tend to deform their teeth. So in case your child has crooked teeth and misaligned jaw then its time that you should seek dental advice from an Orthodontist.
Who is an ORTHODONTIST
An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in smile makeovers using tools such as
- Band
- Bracket
- Wire
- Headgear
- Rubber Bands
- Retainers
So today lets talk about this dental procedure called as Orthodontics in an attempt to give you all the details about it.
Braces and their different types
Braces are the most conventional form of treatment used to correct the misalignment of teeth. Even though there are many dental appliances but still braces were and will be staying here for a long time. The reason why they are the most preferred method lies in the fact they work – When braces are fixed to the teeth they apply pressure to it which helps in alignment of misaligned teeth. Teens today do not prefer using braces because they are not beautiful and does add to the oomph of their personality however the good news is that there are alternatives available. There invisible braces that get fixed to your teeth giving your teeth a natural look.
The conventional braces are made out of metal however as mentioned there are alternatives available such as Ceramic, Plastic and Combination of Materials. Braces made out of Ceramic and Plastic gives tooth a natural look. At times the wires are made out of nickel-titanium or copper-titanium as they give strength to the whole braces assembly. The best part is that these days we have braces called as “Invisible Trays” which do not need any wires.
However it should be noted that these invisible braces wouldn’t be that effective if the problem is severe. Invisible tray uses custom made clear and removable tray which gets fixed to the tooth and in turn puts the teeth in position.
There are other tools as well which are being using in the Orthodontic Procedure such as:
a. TAD or Temporary Anchorage Device
In the image above you can see that there is a screw like structure protruding out of gums. That’s Temporary Anchorage Device. These screws are 6 to 12 millimeters in length and 1.2 to 2 millimeters in diameter. These are the most commonly used treatment procedure in orthodontics.
b. Rubber Bands
Instead of wired braces kids generally prefer Rubber Bands in the braces. The reason why even dentists prefer using rubber bands is because with their use more force can be applied to the teeth.
c. Headgear
This is a removable tool and is attached to the braces from the back of the head.
d. Retainers
Once your dentist removes the braces he/she will use retainers so that the tooth remains in place.
When should you take your kid to Orthodontist
In case there are some milder tooth problems you can seek help from a Dentist as he will be the one who will suggest when you should take your kid to an Orthodontist. It has been suggested that the ideal age to seek assistance from an Orthodontist is when your child is 7 years old because that’s when all the problems in gums and teeth starts off. This is considered as an ideal age of treatment because once your child is fully grown the treatment and healing might take a longer time.
After careful examination of your kids condition the orthodontist will let you know whether he/she is allergic to steel braces or not. Certain kids are allergic and for them alternate tools are used. Parents have to extremely cautious with respect to what their kid eats. Braces are delicate and anything that is hard to chew might result in tooth moving to a wrong direction instead of getting aligned. Parents need to see that their kid does eat anything like:
- Ice
- Popcorn
- Candies
- Caramel
- Gummies
- Chewing Gums
The ideal to keep the braces on your kids teeth is anything from 18-36 months but then it also depends how well you kid responds to the treatment and also on your kids overall growth.
Kids are vulnerable to any gum disease specially when they are developing their permanent teeth. So what they eat and how they brush is very important. You need to make sure that they have this habit of brushing twice and flossing. Parents need to make sure that their kids follow a proper dental hygiene. Furthermore taking kids to dentist also is an important factor which will help parents know any existing problem so that it can be cured before it becomes too serious.
