Both kids and adults alike may adore Halloween, but your Plano Orthodontist sees an entirely different picture. Every candy consumed during the month of October has the potential to create a cavity. For this reason, October is designated as National Orthodontic Health Month. Parents should be watching out for their child’s dental health, including cavities and potential orthodontia work. If you’re curious about your child’s orthodontia needs, it’s time to learn a little bit about braces. They aren’t as scary as the Halloween spooks!
The Basics About Braces
Braces consist of several components based on your dental needs. Brackets are the metal squares that fit onto the tooth surfaces. Wires string these brackets together. You might also have rubber bands that connect certain brackets together. Springs are another option in specialized cases.
All of these tiny components work together, and move the teeth into a desired position. Your child might have the braces for a few months or years. The teeth will move at a slow pace with your orthodontist’s help. The child and parents are also partners in orthodontia care as you take care of the oral devices between appointments.
Making Brushing Easier
You might look at braces and think about the frustration of keeping the teeth clean. In reality, there are easy ways to brush the teeth even with many devices in place. The ultimate goal is to ease brushing frustrations after the braces come off. Food cannot stick between teeth that are properly aligned, for example. Your time with braces will be short, but maintaining clean teeth is a task for life.
During your orthodontic treatment, use water flossers to really clear away particles. Your dentist and orthodontist might work together to clean your teeth too. Temporarily removing the wires for a dental cleaning is possible.
Dealing With Bites
The majority of people have some form of misaligned bite. Overbites, crossbites and underbites are the common ailments. Your bite must be corrected so that the teeth can properly tear, crush and mash your food.
Orthodontists often use rubber bands attached to the brackets in diverse orientations. The bands put enough pressure on the teeth so that the jaw moves into place without any pain. Every part of orthodontia care deals with the slow movement of the oral-cavity components. The bite will eventually even out into a gorgeous smile.
Understanding Impactions and Baby Teeth
A consideration that often comes up during Orthodontic treatment is baby teeth. Ideally, the baby teeth should’ve dropped by now. That’s not always the case, however. Your dentist might pull the baby teeth so that the adult teeth can grow in.
Some adult teeth may be impacted within the gum line. Orthodontists typically make a space for that tooth to drop down by way of a spring spacer. Your child can still have straight teeth while waiting for a tooth to naturally drop down.
Building Confidence
One of the best reasons to have braces during your childhood is the confidence boost that kids receive. They feel confident about smiling in pictures or throughout the day. People who skip braces and grow up with misaligned teeth will often have body issues. Feeling good about yourself is a gift from braces that cannot be duplicated in any other way.
If your child is wary about their braces experience, give them an incentive by mentioning straight and beautiful teeth. They’ll feel committed to the process when there’s a tangible goal up ahead.
Give us a call today. Our expert team can evaluate your child for any orthodontic issues. Straightening a smile takes some time, but the results last a lifetime. Your child deserves a beautiful smile.