When is the Best Time to Start Braces?

When we move teeth orthodontically, what happens is that a small pressure exerted over a long period of time stimulates the cells in the bone to resorb in the direction of tooth movement. Once a space is made, the tooth is pushed into the space. Bone fills in behind where the tooth once was located. The process repeats itself again till the tooth is in the final desired position. This process can take place at any age. Yes, you can get braces at 40 years of age! The only caveat is that it usually is easier when the patient is younger. Isn’t most everything? There are however, certain things that can only be done in a growing patient (a preteen or teenager). Once growth ceases, the boney growth of the face halts as well. When a child is growing, certain forces can be applied to guide the growth. That’s usually one of the things a headgear does.

So, when is the best time for my child? Well, it depends on the discrepancy or problem you are trying to correct. If a child has a crossbite, I tend to want to correct it as soon as I see it. I have even corrected a posterior crossbite in a 3 year old! Most of the time braces are not indicated until the patient is between 9.5 and 12 years of age. That’s when a lot of growth takes place. Some children are really ahead of the game in terms of growth. They will get braces sooner. Some patients without severe discrepancies can wait till all their baby teeth fall out around age 12 or so. Different Orthodontists and Pediatric Dentists have different philosophies regarding when to start a particular case. Don’t be surprised if you get a second opinion with a slightly different answer.

I like to see the patient early on so I can guide the eruption of the teeth with early intervention. Placing a lingual arch space maintainer and/or selective removal of certain baby teeth can improve the pattern of tooth eruption. Also, early expansion of a constricted maxillary arch can really help the overall treatment result. One particular case with severe crowding that I remember used timed extractions of baby and then later, permanent teeth. The child ended up not needing any braces at all! So, every child is different. Hey, you know that already.

So, early on, get a Pediatric Dentist or Orthodontist to look examine your child. Most initial crowding problems manifest themselves around 7 years of age when the first permanent teeth are erupting. Good luck, just remember that orthodontics is a long-term proposition. Treatment often takes place over several years. After initial early treatment, you may only be wearing “braces” for 12 to 24 months, but you will wear a retainer once your braces are removed. Oh yes, many of us remember our “retainers”.

Comments

Apple Invents a new Health feature for AirPods that will provide diagnosis & monitoring of Bruxism

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to a possible future health related feature regarding the diagnosis and monitoring of bruxism using motion sensors in AirPods. Teeth grinding and jaw clenching (bruxism) are the most common parafunctional behavior manifested during sleep and awakeness. Awake bruxism has been mostly associated with emotions like anxiety, stress, frustration or tension. During sleep it causes sleep disorders and arousals. Individuals are mostly unaware of the occurrent and severity of their bruxing habits. The unawareness results in a myriad of orofacial muscle pain and dental consequences like teeth damage, wear and fractures. Commercial devices in dental practice to monitor and treat bruxism are expensive, inconvenient for frequent daily use. For instance, Polysomnography (PSG) studies that target the monitoring of sleep bruxism, require patients to sleep in a clinical setting overnight. Further,

Esthetic Oral Rehabilitation with Veneers

Porcelain veneers had long been considered to be only an esthetic solution. However, their range of indications has been steadily increasing, making ceramic veneers a highly viable alternative to classic, far more invasive forms of restorative treatment. Today, veneers can be used to handle esthetics (discolored teeth, fractured and worn teeth, diastemas, dental defects, etc.) and to restore the biomechanics of the dentition, as well as many other indications. Classifications of Veneer Preparations Referred to as no, minimal, or conventional preparation, veneer classifications—or lack there of—create a large gray zone of misunderstanding and miscommunication with patients and within the dental profession. Left unanswered, questions regarding tooth structure removal, finish lines and margins, and other aspects can cause confusion in practice. Flaws and inaccuracies in previously proposed preparation guidelines make those guidelines irrelevant . To dissolve uncertainty, this v

Orthodontics for Esthetic Dental Treatment: Symbiotic Efforts for Optimal Results

Human fascination with beauty and esthetic trends is continuously evolving; moreover, public awareness and desire to improve facial appearances are at the highest level. This trend of heightened public awareness and expectation is paving a new way of dentistry toward a more comprehensive approach with esthetic principles at its core. The oral health of the patient and his or her dentition are fundamental in dental treatment. However, the final esthetic outcome should be among the first steps in treatment planning. The ideal esthetic approach in dental treatment planning often requires a multidisciplinary approach engaging various dental professionals. This process requires thorough communication among dental practitioners and a basic understanding of what each discipline can provide. FACIAL ANALYSIS Facial evaluation is an integral part of patient examination. It starts with evaluating facial symmetry, as symmetric faces are considered more beautiful than those that are n

BDS INSIGHTS

Search This Blog