Braces for kids: Are They Right?

A perfect smile needs a push in the right direction. Be it for adults or kids, screening can help things work out better. We recommend early screening for all children to make sure that their oral health is maintained. According to the research by American Association of Orthodontics, all children should be screened by the dentist (orthodontist) by the age of 7. There are some dentists who place braces once all the teeth erupt in the mouth by the age of 11 or 12.

How to Identify Whether Your Child Needs Braces
Until the age of 10, children go through crucial phases that shape most of the important structure of face and head. As the child grows, the cartilage is steadily transformed into the bone and forms the skull.

The upper teeth are associated with the development of upper jawbone, also termed as maxilla. If the upper dental arch gets crooked, the airways or sinuses get blocked/cramped causing a child to breathe through their mouth. Along with breathing, there are other signs like snoring, slumped posture, poor sleep, and dark circles that help identify whether your child needs braces or not.

These observations clearly depict that your child is at risk of future sleep-related disorder and poor health.

What Is An Ideal Age for Braces
To know the right answer to this question, you must know the status of teeth:

For 12-year Molars: Also known as second molars, these teeth usually erupt between the age of 11-13. Before putting in braces, these teeth should be available.
Primary Teeth: Primary teeth are also known as “baby teeth”. Braces can be placed when primary teeth are present.

Getting Braces Can Help With the Following Issues:

Gum Disease and Tooth Loss
Keeping your teeth straight and jaw aligned correctly will eventually allow your gums to stay healthy.

Jaw Issues
Braces also help to take care of the jaw. So, there will not be any biting or chewing related issues in the future.

Speech Disorder
Braces help your child to speak and express clearly.

Teeth Grinding
Braces also take care of jaw alignment, which further stops from grinding and coming in contact altogether. It also prevents possible chronic headache and neck pain that comes from misaligned teeth.

Caring for Braces
Brushing and flossing on a regular basis will help keep your child’s teeth healthy and prevent cavities. Brushing and flossing softly helps to remove the food particles that get stuck in braces. Also, make sure using a toothpaste that has fluoride.

If your child has a habit of chewing pen or biting nails, help them avoid that habit quickly because it could damage their braces.

If brackets become loose, you can come and visit us again. Our dentists will get them fix as soon as possible.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.