Does Your Child Need a Braces?

What Are Braces?

There are many kinds of braces, but today the focus is on dental braces. This kind of braces is used to realign teeth, fix gaps in between them, and even improve overall dental health. They can be applied to both the top and bottom row of teeth, just either of the two, or a few select teeth.

How do I know that my child needs braces?
As a general rule, everyone should visit the dentist at least once a year, but in case of children that should be every 6 months. This is to check eruption of their permanent teeth and shedding of their milky teeth. The dentist will check the whole situation and he may need radio-graphic investigations (X-rays) to check the position of the teeth inside the jaw bone. Early loss of milky teeth due to cavities or other reasons may lead to serious problems in the future. On the other hand, late shedding of milky teeth may cause the permanent teeth to get stuck inside the jaw bone, which (if diagnosed later) may need a surgery to restore them back to their normal position. This is why your child should at least visit the dentist to be sure that he/she is replacing milky teeth in a normal pattern parents/ guardians should simply take a look inside their child’s mouth and check for any crowded or misaligned teeth.
What age should my child start the braces?
It is very common to hear the phrase “braces after 12 years” or “braces not before 12 years”. This might be true regarding crowding of the permanent teeth, while some other problems may need earlier intervention from the orthodontist which may start from 6 or 7 years, so your dentist may refer your child to the orthodontist before the age of 12 for several reasons such as early loss of milky teeth, late eruption of permanent teeth or abnormal relation between the upper and lower jaws. The problems involving abnormal relation between upper and lower jaws may be apparent when you look at your child’s profile. The parents may notice that one jaw is larger than the other. Children suffering from an upper jaw which is larger in size than the lower jaw or the opposite, they need orthodontic treatment which may start from the age of 6 or 7 years. Those kinds of problems can’t be treated after 12 or 14 years as the bones of the jaws finish most of their growth at that age, if your child had a problem regarding the relation between upper and lower jaws and was not treated at a younger age then he/she will need a surgery to fix the bone problem.

What are the different kinds of dental braces?

There are actually quite a few different kinds of these braces, ranging from the standard metal all the way to clear plastic. One of the goals with braces over time has been making braces less and less noticeable, and that trend is quickly clear in the different kinds of braces developed.

The most popular one, of course, is the metal kind. Everyone’s seen these braces since they were and, to some degree, still are the most common braces. They use metal brackets, which are the little clumps that attach to the teeth, connected with one another by metal wiring. Over time, they’ve gotten smaller and less noticeable, even becoming not painful to wear.

The second type being touched on is a little less common, but still well known. The ceramic braces are almost identical to metal braces, both visually and in their technical ability. They attach to the teeth in the same way as the metal braces, except the brackets are clear or “teeth colored”. They are more expensive than metal braces however, so it is up to the user whether they prefer the discretion or the lower price.

Next, there are the Invisalign braces. These are the epitome of discretion when it comes to dental realignment. Invisaligns are custom made whole plastic braces that are completely clear and can be easily applied and removed. They’re not much more expensive than metal braces either, around halfway the cost between metal and ceramic. For most people, this would be the most convenient choice, but for more severe cases of misalignment, this wouldn’t be of much help. For these, no appointment to get them adjusted is needed, just replace them with a new set every two weeks.

Lastly, are the lingual braces. These braces are completely invisible, just as the invisaligns are, but in a different way. These braces are attached to the teeth from the inside rather than the outside like all the other braces. These prioritize discretion over functionality since they too wouldn’t work in the more chronic cases. They’re also harder to clean because of their positioning.

What is it like having braces?

Braces are usually required for quite some time, usually a couple of years. However, some take months while others may take more than a couple of years. With this much time per treatment, getting used to the braces is a necessary step for all users.

One of the mundane aspects of living with braces is having to keep food particles out of them at all times. General rule of thumb when wearing braces is to avoid sticky and hard foods, as well as foods that crumb really easily such as chips and hard cookies. Gum should also be avoided because of its stickiness.

Another downside to having braces is the irritation caused by them. Braces work by gradually shifting teeth out of their original position and into a spot predetermined by the orthodontist. Of course, slowly forcing the teeth out of their place can be uncomfortable at times. Many suggestions have been made to help soothe this process. These suggestions include keeping light painkillers close by for whenever it becomes too uncomfortable, or special pain relieving mouthwashes for those with braces.

Regular use of most things will wear them down eventually, and with braces, they become loose as they’re used, making them less effective. To avoid this situation, anyone with braces must take a trip to their orthodontist every few weeks to get them tightened. For everyone, the length of this time period differs, but it’s usually about every four to six weeks. If this isn’t done, the braces will become loose, and they’ll be rendered useless since they won’t be pulling the teeth into their destined spots. For people using Invisalign braces, they won’t need any tightening, they’ll just replace them every couple weeks until they’ve run out. Although, their treatment will probably take a little longer than others.

Alternatives to braces?

For most people, invisaligns are the alternative since they function differently and are much more comfortable, look wise and pain wise. They’re clear, which is a really big upside for many, since they might not feel comfortable with the look of the traditional metal braces. They’re even much more comfortable, since they’re not attaching to the teeth and they’re smooth. This means they won’t tug on the teeth or cause any cuts because of a rigid nature. Not needing to realign or tighten them every few weeks is also convenient. However, it does come with a downside, that the treatment will usually take longer to go through, and it isn’t as effective with more severe cases.

In conclusion…

There’s a lot of different aspects that need to be considered when getting braces, including the kind of braces themselves. Whichever works best will depend on the user, but there’s a reason some are more popular than others. There’s also all the changes in the user’s day to day life to consider as well, ranging from the food that can be eaten, to the dental upkeep required. But, as much as a hassle some of it can be, it’s all worth it in the end. A straightened set of teeth, and the improved dental health that comes along with it, will save the user a world of trouble and headaches in the future.