Many children do not feel comfortable with their smile, since the teeth are not in place, crowded teeth, out of place, spaces, cross bites… and they know that the best option is to have orthodontics. Today, from the McAllister Orthodontics we detail the advantages and disadvantages of braces in children and the different types of orthodontics that exist so that you can choose with your dentist the one that best suits your needs.
The reasons why this point has been reached can be very varied, whether due to childhood trauma, economic reasons, or worsening of the mouth over time, these are some of the reasons why braces are expected to be put on during childhood.
Orthodontic treatment in children has a very different approach and approach than orthodontics in children. There are important differences, since the adult is not in the growth phase, the bones no longer grow, and situations such as loss of teeth or bone loss may occur, which entails the loss of dental support.
Another thing to keep in mind with braces in children is that tooth movement is slower in children than in children.
Sometimes, the help and collaboration of dentists specializing in endodontics, periodontics, and/or surgeons is also necessary.
One of the main reasons why a child decides to start orthodontic treatment is the image and the aesthetics of the smile. Many patients give up orthodontic treatment for fear of having to wear metal braces, because it is considered the most common and most effective treatment, but it is a myth. Today there are alternatives to fixed orthodontics with metal braces.
Currently, orthodontics in children has evolved by offering resources to improve image during orthodontic treatment.
Braces in Child, Advantages
Improve our oral health. More than logical, since if we manage to align our teeth and eliminate crowding, hygiene will be much more complete and the risk of cavities will be drastically reduced.
- Proper chewing. In many cases, bite problems are associated with poor chewing. That is, our teeth do not allow us to reduce food to a size that is easily digestible, which causes many intestinal and stomach ailments. Orthodontic treatment will put an end to these discomforts, which are sometimes significant.
- Avoid tooth wear. After a certain age, teeth begin to erode if they do not have a correct bite. We will find some pieces that work harder than others due to that malocclusion. Braces in children reverse this process and prevent this erosion.
- Reduce periodontal problems. Improving dental hygiene, it also means that the gums will become less inflamed and therefore stop bleeding.
- Avoid muscle and joint injuries. It is proven that poorly aligned teeth cause, on the one hand, jaw and neck pain that will be resolved after orthodontics. Episodes of bruxism may also appear in many people and are reduced or eliminated when the teeth are aligned.
- Increases our self-esteem. With orthodontics, we obtain that improvement in self-esteem that is as important as or more important than physical issues in some patients.
- Economy: this orthodontic treatment is the cheapest we can find. For some, aesthetics may be secondary if they gain an economic advantage.
- Resistance: This technique has greater resistance than certain types of transparent braces. While sapphire has great hardness, other types of aesthetic braces such as porcelain tend to break more easily.
Braces in Child, Disadvantages
- Less aesthetic. The reason why many people rule out using this technique is that it is not easy for them to fit into a more adult aesthetic. Although today they are smaller in size than in previous years, they are still too much for certain professions.
- The gums must be healthy. Once we have resolved it, then we can address orthodontic treatment. But never before.
- The treatment is more complex than in children. An adult has a longer journey to make with their teeth than a child, under normal conditions. The duration of the treatment will depend on the degree of dental malposition, but it is usually more difficult to move the teeth in an adult than in a child.
- It can be something more painful. For the same reason mentioned above, braces can cause discomfort more in children than in children. However, patients report very mild discomfort in the vast majority of cases. And, in general, only when the brackets need to be adjusted.
In any case, there are numerous types such as invisible orthodontics, for example. Depending on the type of problem that needs to be resolved, the orthodontist at McAllister Orthodontics will recommend one or Palencia orthodontics, including metal, sapphire, porcelain, or lingual braces.