Getting braces to straighten your child’s teeth requires early preparation

If your child is ready for orthodontic care, one of the first discussions to have with your orthodontist is which procedure is right for him or her; the options might be much more plentiful than you ever imagined. If you’re like most people, you associate orthodontists with braces, but these days that is just one component of an advanced orthodontic specialty practice. Here is some expert advice associated with choosing braces for your child.


Do

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  • find a specialist for your child's orthodontic care
  • see the orthodontic specialist by age 7
  • ask when the best time is for your child to start treatment
  • continue to see the dentist every 6 months
  • wear your retainers after orthodontic treatment
Don't

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  • wait until it's too late to take your child to the orthodontist
  • sign up too late for flex spending or insurance programs
  • ignore your child's tooth pain during treatment
  • forget to encourage good brushing and flossing during treatment
  • sign up for sports without a mouthguard

[publishpress_authors_data]'s recommendation to ExpertBeacon readers: Do

Do find a specialist for your child's orthodontic care

Orthodontists are dental specialists who have completed 2-3 years of additional education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align teeth and jaws. This further training qualifies your orthodontist to identify, diagnose and more importantly treat a broad spectrum of dental irregularities your family dentist may not, such as: Early or late loss of teeth, difficulty in chewing or biting, crowding, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth, jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude, speech difficulty, biting the cheek or into the roof of the mouth, protruding teeth, teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all, facial imbalance, and grinding or clenching of teeth.

Do see the orthodontic specialist by age 7

Age seven is the earliest time your orthodontist can determine future jaw and tooth alignment. Prior to this time, the final position of the jaws and teeth is just a guess. An educated guess, perhaps, but a guess nonetheless. The majority of children at this age do not require orthodontic treatment. However, for the 5-10% of patients who have significant jaw alignment problems at age 7, a simple consultation and interceptive orthodontic treatment can help prevent years of additional treatment and even help avoid future jaw surgery, in extreme cases. The initial consultations are low-cost or no-cost and provide tremendous peace of mind for parents to know whether their child can benefit from interceptive or preventive orthodontic and jaw alignment treatment at an early age.

Do ask when the best time is for your child to start treatment

The majority of children benefit from braces during periods of growth in adolescence. Every patient's growth pattern is unique and some patients can benefit from starting treatment earlier, while for others it is best to wait until 12-13 years of age. When braces are placed at the ideal time, the patient gets a great result with less time invested and parents benefit from achieving a beautiful smile with as little time and money invested as possible. Your child might be ready for braces at age 7-8 or you might need to wait until middle school or high school years. Seeing the orthodontist early and often for a recommended course of treatment is the best plan of action for you and your child.

Do continue to see the dentist every 6 months

Your orthodontic specialist monitors tooth and jaw alignment, while your family dentist provides cleanings and fillings. It's still important for your child to see the general dentist throughout your treatment, so that the gums and teeth remain clean and healthy. Our best patients are the ones who see the dentist every 4-6 months and maintain exceptional oral hygiene. Clean teeth and healthy gums help facilitate orthodontic treatment in an efficient and effective manner.

Do wear your retainers after orthodontic treatment

One of the most-frustrating things for parents to experience is the relapse or shifting of their child's teeth after braces because the child wasn't wearing his or her retainer. Retainers are absolutely critical to the success of orthodontic treatment following the active phase of braces. Moving teeth through bone is similar to watching concrete set up after the braces are removed. The bone surrounding the teeth is very malleable during treatment and requires at least 6 months of stability in order to reorganized into a more-mature bone pattern that is less-resistant to the teeth re-crowding.

Your orthodontist will tell you when it is safe for your child to switch to night-time retainer wear. Be sure to monitor your child's retainer wear and verify that the retainer fits. Patients who fail to wear their retainer are likely to experience some shifting or relapse of the crowded teeth. The best way your child can thank you for providing them with a beautiful smile is to wear their retainer exactly as directed.


[publishpress_authors_data]'s professional advice to ExpertBeacon readers: Don't

Do not wait until it's too late to take your child to the orthodontist

Many parents assume they should wait until all of the permanent teeth are in before seeing an orthodontist. Although this might work out for you and your child, the chances are that you will risk missing out on the most-efficient growth spurt to help your orthodontist correct your child's bite. Early consultation will help you and your orthodontic specialist choose a treatment time that is best for your child. Without this information and peace of mind, you take additional risk in decreasing your treatment options. Without optimal growth, your orthodontist is limited in what he or she can achieve. For this reason alone, you should take your child to the orthodontist for an initial screening by age 7, as recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists.

Do not sign up too late for flex spending or insurance programs

Your employer might provide flex spending, health savings, or insurance programs to help you cover the cost of orthodontic treatment for your child. Be aware, however, that many of these programs require an advanced sign-up period, often 1 year or more in advance of the anticipated orthodontic treatment. Many parents have sat in my office frustrated at the inability to obtain coverage for their child because of a 90 day or even 12 month waiting period before benefits are available. When you sign up early for coverage and when you take your child to the orthodontist for an initial consultation at an early age, you minimize your risk in being locked out of valuable insurance coverage.

Do not ignore your child's tooth pain during treatment

Braces and the technology that allows your orthodontist to achieve a beautiful smile for your child have come a long way. You can, however, still expect some mild to moderate discomfort after the braces are initially placed and after each appointment to adjust the braces. In the event of tooth pain, every patient is different. If your child experiences pain, please be sensitive to the fact that they might not be able to eat hard, crunchy or chewy foods for a few days.

Over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol and Advil can help reduce or eliminate tooth discomfort. Most schools require a doctor's note for your child to take pain medicine to school. Ask your orthodontist for a note that allows your child to control their tooth pain as needed throughout the day. And don't forget to make something softer and cooler for dinner. Smoothies, pasta, and fish are all great options for patients in braces.

Do not forget to encourage good brushing and flossing during treatment

Your child's orthodontic treatment success comes from a lot of factors. Two of the biggest are the need for excellent brushing and flossing during treatment. Many adolescents need encouragement and positive reinforcement in this area. In addition to braces, hormonal changes in puberty can make it hard for your child to maintain healthy gums without swelling or inflammation. Through a quick check-in with your orthodontist, you can monitor how well your child is doing with toothbrushing. In the event that brushing needs improvement, an additional visit to your dentist might be required in order to prevent the unwanted side effects of wearing braces, such as puffy gums and tooth decay.

Do not sign up for sports without a mouthguard

One of the most-common causes of tooth loss in adolescents is through contact sports. When your child has braces, the importance of a mouthguard cannot be understated. Mouthguards can provide an additional level of protection against dental injuries. Many popular mouthguards offer free insurance for financial protection in the event of a dental injury while wearing the appliance. One might consider this option if there is a concern of future dental treatment or a history of chipped teeth related to sports injuries. The best advice for patients or parents looking for a mouth guard can be obtained from your pediatrician, dentist, pediatric dentist, orthodontist or oral surgeon. All of these specialists are uniquely trained to offer customized advice in order to help you prevent a sports-related dental or facial injury.


Summary

In summary, there are a lot of factors to consider when getting braces for your child. Preparation and timing are key. If your child could benefit from an orthodontic exam, find a specialist near you and start today.

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