Mamabee

Dental Braces And Pediatric Dentistry: Everything You Need To Know

Dental braces are conventional these days. People who have misaligned teeth; overlapped or crooked because of an accident, bad habits, or probably it’s in their genes go for dental braces. 

Apart from the aesthetic point of view, dental braces are essential from a health perspective. It’s like they help one’s oral anatomy fall into place, thereby mitigating the oral health concerns which would surface up in the future.

There was a time when people were not acquainted with what dental braces are and how do they work. However, today, when more and more people are using props, it has become less of a taboo, and naturally, the zeitgeist has changed. 

Today, most people want their wards to go to an Orthodontist (the dentist who specializes in dental braces) because braces are more effective when put at a younger age. 

The millennial kids have all the information they need at their disposal. They are smart enough to believe that if they have to put braces at some point n their lives or others, it should be early.

They know that they have to get done with the braces before their high school because they don’t want to be carrying a nerdy look amid those years; instead, they want to be on their A-game when it comes to watches. 

Why Kids Need Braces

Kids may require braces for many reasons, including crooked, overlapped, and overcrowded teeth. Malocclusion is yet another common problem which young children face. One is said to have Malocclusion when there is a difference between the sizes of the jaws. When the upper jaw is more prominent than the lower jaw, it is called overbite, and in the case of vice versa, it is called underbite. 

More often than not, tooth and jaw problems are caused by losing baby teeth too soon or because of prolonged thumb sucking, which extends to several years. Sometimes, tooth problems are inherited, which translates to that if someone in your family has put dental braces, your children may likely need them too. 

A lot has been said about the importance of taking your child to the dentist at an early stage. Just like the pediatric practitioner, a pediatric dentist is necessary to oversee the development of teeth, diagnose problems at the early stage, and take necessary steps required to curb the collateral damage. 

Further, oral hygiene is often undermined by the parents, and pediatric dentist insists on a proactive approach to fighting germs and possibly cavities. The dentist will refer your child’s case to an orthodontist if he/she feels that the developmental patterns aren’t standard and that there is a possible case of overcrowded, crooked, or overlapped teeth. 

The ideal age for paying a visit to the orthodontist is when permanent teeth start coming in, probably around 6-7. The uneven bite or the overcrowding issues will begin to reflect. 

Starting the process doesn’t necessarily mean that your child will get braces right away. It means that the orthodontist will scrutinize, map, and investigate the structure of your child’s teeth before deciding what kind of braces your child will need. Not only this, the orthodontist revises the course of treatment several times in the midst, depending upon how responsive the therapy has been to the point of check-up and on the fact that your child still needs an invasive procedure. 

The First Orthodontist Visit

The first step at the orthodontists is always a thorough examination of your child’s teeth, mouth, and jaw. The orthodontist may ask your child to bite the teeth together and would ask you to brief about your child’s oral health and whether or not your child has ever confronted issues such as popping of the jaw. 

The orthodontist will take X-rays of the mouth to examine how the teeth are positioned and whether the permanent teeth have broken the walls of the gums and are sneaking through it. This is the classical case of overlapping. 

The orthodontist will also ask your child to bite off the wet-cement like fluffy material to inscribe the shape of your teeth on to it. When the material hardens, the mold is removed, the result is the replica of our child’s teeth. This allows the orthodontist to sift through your child’s case and decide the course of the treatment. 

Type of Braces

Braces correct alignment problems are putting consistent pressure on the teeth and forcing them to maneuver into a proper position. 

Usually, the kids need braces with brackets, rubber bands, and wires. The brackets attach to the teeth and are intersected with wires and connected by a rubber band. The cord is tightened eventually to press the line of teeth and make it fall into its correct position. There are metal braces, and there are ceramic braces that score high on the aesthetic front because they are less visible. 

Once the braces are on, your child will have to visit the orthodontist regularly for monitoring and adjustments.

The usual time taken for the braces treatment is two years, and after that, your child might wear a specially molded retainer. A small piece of plastic shaped like a mouth guard marked with metal wires. They keep the teeth from falling into their original position. 

Braces create beautiful smiles, and there is more to braces. An excellent orthodontic can pave the way for oral health right from the early years in your child’s life. Straight teeth make it easier to chew food and facilitate a natural flow of air in and out of the mouth, thus preventing snoring. 

It’s worth the effort and time it takes to find the right Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics who will watch over your child’s oral health. The biggest problem that the parents face with pediatric dentistry is that their children are reluctant towards such procedures. 

The Kids Happy Teeth might be the type of professionals that you were looking for. They understand child psychology, and they talk children out of their inhibitions and insecurities. Therefore, making the overall treatment more comfortable and playful and also conditioning your child to keep going to the dentist’s when they grow up. 

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.