How Can Preventative Orthodontics Help Your Child?
Many parents think that orthodontic treatment of kids only begins when they have grown all their permanent teeth. Unfortunately, this is not true. The fact is that dental professionals recommend that parents should bring in their kids early for an orthodontic checkup so that underlying issues can be identified and treated well before they grow into more significant problems. This approach, known as preventive orthodontics, involves taking measures to prevent the orthodontic problems from developing in the first place.
So, what is preventive orthodontics, and how can it help your child enjoy perfectly aligned and pearly white teeth? This blog explains everything you need to know about this minimally-invasive treatment approach. So, read on!
At What Age Should A Child First Visit An Orthodontist?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that parents bring in their kids for an orthodontic checkup by their seventh birthday. According to the AAO, by age seven, a child has enough teeth for their teeth to spot an orthodontic issue and take preventive measures. In this way, developing problems are treated early and require no or minimal orthodontic intervention in the later years.
How Old Should A Kid Be Before They Could Install Braces?
According to the National Health Service, the ideal age for a child to get braces is 12 or 13 years. At this age, children have grown almost all their permanent teeth while their jaws and facial bones are still growing. Therefore, moving these teeth into occlusion is easier as there is still room for jaw growth and realignment.
However, this does not mean that this is the only age bracket for orthodontic treatment. The fact is that orthodontic treatment can be undertaken at any age. The only difference is that at a later age, the bones become brittle; hence, it takes longer to realign the teeth.
How Do Orthodontists Plan A Treatment?
Successful orthodontic treatment requires careful and in-depth planning. Your child’s orthodontist will perform a detailed clinical examination to determine the underlying problem. They will also look at the x-ray images of your teeth from various angles and digital models of your teeth. This helps them prepare a treatment plan that is fully customised according to your child’s dental needs. Once a treatment plan has been designed, they will begin the orthodontic treatment with either braces or Invisalign aligners. Finally, once the teeth have been aligned, they will prescribe retainers to your kids to prevent the teeth from moving back to their old positions.
What Can Orthodontic Treatment Solve?
Orthodontic treatment can solve a variety of orthodontic problems. Some of these include:
- Tooth crowding
- Excessive gaps between teeth or a diastema
- An open bite
- A crossbite
- A deep bite
- Generalised tooth misalignment
- Moving a single dislocated tooth back to its position
Is Early Orthodontic Treatment Important Or Not?
These days, dental professionals recommend that parents consult their child’s orthodontist before their seventh birthday to assess whether they have any developing orthodontic issues. In this way, many problems can be prevented or treated early before they require time-consuming and expensive orthodontic treatment. So yes, early orthodontic treatment is essential for ensuring your child’s oral health and physical well-being and, more importantly, helping them retain a pearly white smile throughout life.
What Are The Benefits Of Orthodontic Braces?
Orthodontic treatment with braces offers many advantages, no matter what age it is undertaken. Some of these include:
- Improved Overall Health – improved overall chewing efficiency due to tooth alignment, resulting in optimal digestion and improved overall health.
- Improved Self-confidence – when the teeth are correctly aligned, there is a significant improvement in one’s smile and facial aesthetics. As a result, the child feels a considerable boost in their self-confidence.
- Improved Oral Health – perfectly aligned teeth are much easier to clean than crooked ones. As a result, orthodontic treatment will help your child enjoy excellent oral health and a minty fresh breath. Also, good oral hygiene ensures minimal dental issues, such as teeth cavities and periodontal infections.
- Better Social Life – research has shown that individuals with perfectly aligned, pearly white teeth are considered more attractive and socially approachable than the ones with flawed smiles.
Can A 12-Year-Old Get Invisalign?
Children cannot start treatment with braces or Invisalign until they have grown all their permanent teeth (except wisdom teeth). This occurs when the child is about 12-13 years of age. Therefore, your kid’s orthodontist will first assess whether they have grown all their permanent teeth and are ready for braces treatment. So, in some cases 12 years may be a suitable age, while in others it may not be appropriate.
How Can I Best Ensure Straight Teeth For My Children?
There are several ways in which you can ensure perfectly aligned teeth in your children:
- Oral Hygiene Maintenance – you may not believe it, but oral hygiene care through regular brushing flossing goes a long way in preventing orthodontic issues.
- Preventing Para-functional Habits – parents must be on a lookout for parafunctional habits in their kids, such as nail biting, tongue thrusting, and teeth grinding. This is because these habits are among the common reasons for the development of tooth misalignment issues later in life.
- Preventive Orthodontic Checkups – taking your kids for orthodontic checkups early in life prevents orthodontic issues in the later years.
Are you looking for a renowned orthodontic practice in Winsdor or Guilford? Look no more! Smile 101 offers all the orthodontic and general dental services to our esteemed patients under one roof! So, request a free virtual consultation or contact us today.