The Scoop On Braces

Many parents are confused about when they should take their child to the orthodontist, or whether they should consider getting braces for their child. The American Association of Orthodontists and most dentists agree that your child should be seen by an orthodontic specialist by age 7 because orthodontists are trained to spot subtle problems with jaw growth and erupting teeth while some baby teeth are still present (some children are seen at 5 or 6 years of age).


Although orthodontists and dentists agree that extensive orthodontic treatment is not done at that age, sometimes early interceptive orthodontic treatment (such as space maintainers, retainers, or functional appliances) can be beneficial to improve the over-all orthodontic situation and outcome. In such cases there may be an early “stage one’ therapy, with a following, more comprehensive “stage two” therapy when the child is older. Sometimes the dentist or orthodontist will “wait and see” until the time is right for that particular child to begin orthodontics. And sometimes, the immediate benefit is finding out that your child does not need braces at all.


There are two factors that can cause your child to need braces: genetic and acquired. That is, some problems that are seen in children are genetic, such as crowded teeth, too much space between teeth, extra or missing teeth, or malocclusion (meaning “bad bite”). Some problems are acquired, or develop over time. Thumbsucking, mouth breathing, abnormal swallowing, poor dental hygiene, early or late loss of baby teeth, accidents, or poor nutrition can all contribute to an acquired condition requiring braces. Accidents, trauma, birth defects, and other medical conditions can also contribute to the need for orthodontics.


Of course, the obvious advantage of having braces is the end result in having a beautiful smile with straight teeth which promotes a healthy self-esteem. But there are many other benefits of having orthodontic treatment as well. Sometimes a tooth is “stuck” in the bones, and will not normally erupt without orthodontic intervention. Or, sometimes teeth will grow in the wrong place and will need to be moved with braces. If baby teeth are lost too early, then other teeth will grow in and around them in the wrong space. This will not only look bad, but can interfere with the child’s bite. When there is a “bad bite” the unequal distribution of forces on the teeth can cause early tooth loss later on. Proper chewing, swallowing, and speech can also depend on the proper alignment of our teeth. An orthodontist is a dentist who has continued his/her education for an extra 2-3 years or more in an accredited orthodontic residency program supervised by orthodontics to specialize in the area of dentistry dealing with the prevention as well as the correction of abnormally positioned or aligned teeth, and has earned an extra degree. By learning about tooth movement (orthodontics) and the guidance of facial development (dentofacial orthopedics), orthodontists are uniquely educated experts that can straighten teeth and align jaws. They dedicate their practice and professional career to orthodontics. Here are some things to look for in your child that may indicate a need for braces. Of course, the decision to have braces for your child should always be made among the parents, child’s dentist, and orthodontist.





Links:

Print:   Email: