You might feel that you should get braces for your children if you see more youngsters wearing them at a younger age. Right, the earlier the better. On the other hand, you are aware of how costly braces are, and shouldn’t you wait until all of your child’s adult teeth have erupted before beginning to use braces to straighten their teeth?
These concerns have been addressed by the Children Dental Indianapolis IN skilled team for many years. Here is our top parenting recommendation.
Wait until permanent teeth arrive
Typically, after all of a child’s adult teeth have erupted, braces are advised. You are not needed to wait to bring your child to an orthodontist as a result. Even if they do not yet have all of their adult teeth, it may be advantageous for them to consult an orthodontist at an early age.
When your young child should have braces, an orthodontist can assist you to decide; often, they will also inquire about your child’s dental health. With only a few of their permanent teeth, an orthodontist will be able to decide if they are a good candidate for braces.
Hygienic oral habits
Additionally, children who wear braces frequently adopt better dental hygiene practices. The majority of the maintenance required for braces will need to be done by your youngster themself. Once individuals develop the practice of caring for their braces, they frequently carry it through into adulthood.
Fewer dentist visits result from better oral hygiene practices. Better dental health results from fewer cavities that need to be filled, which may be attained with appropriate oral hygiene practices. One of the numerous advantages braces may provide for you and your child is this one.
Orthodontic treatment strategies
By the time they are teenagers or have all of their permanent teeth, many kids wear braces. When teeth are changing from infant to adult, there are occasionally alternative methods of using braces.
One strategy is referred to as an interceptive strategy. An orthodontist will then put additional devices in your child’s mouth at this time. When obtaining normal braces, this will assist to mold the jaw and teeth so that the transition is smoother.
Although orthodontists don’t always adopt the interceptive technique, it is still a good idea to inquire about it as soon as you can. It is important to speak with your nearby Childrens Dentist Indianapolis IN first if you’re unsure of when you should bring your child to the orthodontist.
Observing the indications
If you are uncertain about having braces for your child, there are a few crucial things you should check for. One such obstacle is having trouble chewing food. If your child is having trouble eating but doesn’t have any cavities or loose teeth, you might want to consider getting them a dental appliance.
Teeth sometimes develop incorrectly. Investigate early orthodontic treatment if you see that your children’s teeth are developing unevenly or incorrectly. This will enable you to decide if you can wait till all of your child’s permanent teeth are in or whether an interceptive approach is beneficial for them.
Another indication to watch out for is cheek biting. Though no one enjoys biting their cheeks, severe cheek biting in children may indicate that their teeth are erupting improperly. Your youngster will suffer a great deal of needless suffering as a result.
My dentist advised me to bring my 7-year-old child in for an examination with an orthodontist. Is this required?
All children aged 7 and older should get an orthodontic screening, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. Most kids have all of their first molars and the first set of permanent incisors by the time they are 7 years old. At this age, the majority of orthodontic issues may be identified or anticipated.
Will my child require braces again in the future if they receive them at a young age?
Probably yeah. Early orthodontic therapy is sometimes referred to as Phase I orthodontic therapy, denoting the requirement for Phase II therapy after the majority or all permanent teeth erupt. This increases the overall length of time your child will wear braces, as well as the price and potential adverse effects of orthodontic treatment. This is the major justification for avoiding early orthodontic treatment unless there is a very good reason to.
My child should need an expander, according to Kids Dentist Indianapolis IN. What exactly are expanders?
Appliances called palatal expanders are used to open up the upper jaw. If utilized appropriately, expanders are quite effective and can be very helpful (crossbite or underdeveloped upper jaw). However, if there is no crossbite, expanders are less successful in treating dental crowding. In these situations, the enlargement gained is essentially lost a few months after the therapy is over.
Can Invisalign be used for orthodontic treatment that begins early?
A new product line called Invisalign First, created especially for growing youngsters was recently introduced by Invisalign. Orthopedic equipment (such expanders and facemasks) cannot be replaced with Invisalign aligners, but brackets may (braces).
What age is ideal for beginning orthodontic treatment?
The most significant query is possibly this one. Starting orthodontic treatment on time reduces overall treatment duration while increasing the likelihood of success. The age of a kid is not a reliable indicator of when orthodontic treatment should be started since dental development varies greatly across various ages. The ideal strategy is to do a thorough examination around age 7 and continue visiting the orthodontist regularly (often once a year) until it is ready to begin treatment. The greatest method for choosing the ideal period for your child’s orthodontic treatment is as described above. Starting at age 7, we provide free orthodontic assessments to all of our patients. There is additional information on this topic here. For the greatest results for your kid, give us a call right away or schedule your child’s orthodontic examination online. We will be happy to walk you through the procedure.
Final remarks
The greatest source for learning the appropriate age for visiting an orthodontist is your dentist at Pediatric Dentistry Indianapolis IN. Most kids see their first orthodontist around age 6-7. Call us at any time with any inquiries. For individualized responses to all of your dental-related issues, you may also make an appointment with a member of our pediatric dentistry team.