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The American Association for Orthodontists recommends
that every child have an orthodontic evaluation by the age of 7. Early
detection and treatment gives your child the edge: a much better chance
for natural and normal development. By working with the natural growth
instead of against it, we can prevent problems from becoming worse, and
give your child a lifetime of healthy smiles! Early treatment should be initiated for: Functional (Growth) Appliances and/or Limited Braces -
Ages 5-12 In the first phase, the doctor is interested in the
position and symmetry of the jaws, future growth, spacing of the teeth,
breathing and other oral habits which may, over a period of time, result
in abnormal dentofacial development. Treatment initiated in this phase of development is
often very successful and some times, though not always, can eliminate
the need for future orthodontic treatment. Braces - Ages 12 to 14 In the second phase, the doctor will be looking at how
your child’s teeth and jaws fit, and more specifically work, together.
Your child’s teeth will be straightened and their occlusion (bite) is
properly aligned. Attention will be given to the jaw joint, (TMJ), the
facial profile and periodontal (gum) tissues. By undergoing the first
phase, we can usually reduce the amount of time needed for braces. Facial Development -
Seventy-five percent of 12-year-olds need orthodontic treatment. Yet 90%
of a child's face has already developed! By guiding facial development
earlier, through the use of functional appliances, 80% of the treatment
can be corrected before the adult teeth are present! Cooperation -
Younger children between the ages of 8 and 11 are often much more
cooperative than children of ages 12 to 14. Shorter Treatment Time
- Another advantage of early Phase One treatment is that children will
need to wear fixed braces on their adult teeth for less time. To Correct Underdeveloped or Overdeveloped Jaws
- Almost 55% of children who need orthodontic treatment due to a bad
bite have underdeveloped or overdeveloped upper or lower jaws.
Functional appliances and/or limited braces can reposition the jaws,
improving the child's profile and correcting the bite problem - within 7
to 9 months! The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
recommends an orthodontic screening for children by the age of 7 years.
At age 7 the teeth and jaws are developed enough so that the dentist or
orthodontist can see if there will be any serious bite problems in the
future. Most of the time treatment is not necessary at age 7, but it
gives the parents and dentist time to watch the development of the
patient and decide on the best mode of treatment. When you have time on
your side you can plan ahead and prevent the formation of serious
problems. Research has shown that serious orthodontic problems
can be more easily corrected when the patient’s skeleton is still
growing and flexible. By correcting the skeletal problems at a younger
age we can prepare the mouth for the eventual eruption of the permanent
teeth. If the permanent teeth have adequate space to erupt they will
come in fairly straight. If the teeth erupt fairly straight their
tendency to get crooked again after the braces come off is diminished
significantly. After the permanent teeth have erupted, usually from age
12-14, complete braces are placed for final alignment and detailing of
the bite. Thus the final stage of treatment is quicker and easier on the
patient. This phase of treatment usually lasts from 12 - 18 month and is
not started until all of the permanent teeth are erupted. Doing orthodontic treatments in two steps provides
excellent results often allowing the doctor to avoid removal of
permanent teeth and jaw surgery. The treatment done when some of the
baby teeth are still present is called Phase-1. The last part of
treatment after all the permanent teeth have erupted is called Phase-2.
Crowded teeth, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting,
premature loss of baby teeth, a poor breathing airway caused by enlarged
adenoids or tonsils can all contribute to poor tooth positioning. And
then there are the hereditary factors. Extra teeth, large teeth, missing
teeth, wide spacing, small jaws - all can be causes of crowded teeth. Tooth movement is a natural response to light pressure
over a period of time. Pressure is applied by using a variety of
orthodontic hardware (appliances), the most common being a brace or
bracket attached to the teeth and connected by an arch wire. Periodic
changing of these arch wires puts pressure on the teeth. At different
stages of treatment your child may wear a headgear, elastics, a
positioner or a retainer. Most orthodontic appointments are scheduled 4
to 6 weeks apart to give the teeth time to move. When teeth are first moved, discomfort may result.
This usually lasts about 24 to 72 hours. Patients report a lessening of
pain as the treatment progresses. Pain medicines such as acetaminophen
(Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) usually help relieve the pain.
The part of your braces which actually moves the
teeth. The arch wire is attached to the brackets by small elastic donuts
or ligature wires. Arch Wires are changed throughout the treatment. Each
change brings you closer to the ideal tooth position. Brackets are the “Braces” or small attachments that
are bonded directly to the tooth surface. The brackets are the part of
your braces to which the dentist or assistant attaches the arch wire. Occasionally, a bracket may come loose and become an
irritation to your mouth. You can remove the loose bracket and save it
in an envelope to bring to the office. Call the office as soon as
possible and make an appointment to re-glue the bracket. At some time during treatment, it will be necessary to
wear elastics to coordinate the upper and lower teeth and perfect the
bite. Once teeth begin to move in response to elastics, they move
rapidly and comfortably. If elastics (rubber bands) are worn
intermittently, they will continually "shock" the teeth and cause more
soreness. When elastics are worn one day and left off the next,
treatment slows to a standstill or stops. Sore teeth between
appointments usually indicate improper wear of headgear or elastics or
inadequate hygiene. Wear your elastics correctly, attaching them as you
were told. Wear elastics all the time, unless otherwise directed. Take
your elastics off while brushing. Change elastics as directed, usually
once or twice a day. Often called a “night brace”. The headgear is used to
correct a protrusion of the upper or lower jaw. It works by inhibiting
the upper jaw from growing forward, or the downward growth of the upper
jaw or even by encouraging teeth to move forward, if that is the case. Poor positioning of the teeth. Types of Malocclusion The alignment and spacing of your upper jaw and lower
teeth when you bite down. Types of Occlusion: O rings, also called A-lastics, are little rings used
to attach the arch wire to the brackets. These rings come in standard
gray or clear, but also come in a wide variety of colors to make braces
more fun. A-lastics are changed at every appointment to maintain good
attachment of the arch wire to the bracket, enabling our patients to
enjoy many different color schemes throughout treatment. A plastic or rubber donut piece which the dentist uses
to create space between your teeth for bands.
A Band & Loop is routinely used to hold space for a
missing primary (baby) posterior (back) tooth until the permanent tooth
can grown in. An appliance designed to encourage the lower jaw to
grow forward and “catch up” to upper jaw growth.
An appliance used to expand the lower arch without
interfering with tongue posture or movement.
This appliance maintains the position of the maxillary
molars without using any other teeth. The plastic button on the
palate provides stability. At the completion of the active phase of orthodontic
treatment, braces are removed and removable appliances called retainers
are placed. To retain means to hold. Teeth must be retained or held in
their new positions while the tissues, meaning the bone, elastic
membranes around the roots, the gums, tongue and lips have adapted
themselves to the new tooth positions. Teeth can move if they are not
retained. It is extremely important to wear your retainers as directed!
You will be shown the proper care of your braces when
your orthodontic treatment begins. Proper cleansing of your mouth is
necessary every time you eat. Teeth with braces are harder to clean, and
trap food very easily. If food is left lodged on the brackets and wires,
it can cause unsightly etching of the enamel on your teeth. Your most
important job is to keep your mouth clean. If food is allowed to
collect, the symptoms of gum disease will show in your mouth. The gums
will swell and bleed and the pressure from the disease will slow down
tooth movement.
Look in a mirror to see if you have missed any places.
Your teeth, brackets and wires should be free of any food particles and
plaque. Note: If your gums
bleed when brushing, do not avoid brushing, but rather continue
stimulating the area with the bristles. Be sure to angle your toothbrush
so that the area under your gum line is cleaned. After 3 or 4 days of
proper brushing, the bleeding should stop and your gums should be
healthy again. FLOSSING: Use a
special floss threader to floss with your braces on. Be sure to floss at
least once per day. FLUORIDE RINSE OR GEL:
May be recommended for preventive measures. Clean the retainer by brushing with toothpaste. If you
are wearing a lower fixed retainer be extra careful to brush the wire
and the inside of the lower teeth. Always bring your retainer to each
appointment. Avoid flipping the retainer with your tongue, this can
cause damage to your teeth. Place the retainer in the plastic case when
it is re-moved from your mouth. Never wrap the retainer in a paper
napkin or tissue, someone may throw it away. Don't put it in your pocket
or you may break or lose it. Excessive heat will warp and ruin the
retainer. If elastics (rubber bands) are worn intermittently,
they will continually "shock" the teeth and cause more soreness. Sore
teeth between appointments usually indicate improper wear of headgear or
elastics or inadequate hygiene. Wear your elastics correctly, attaching
them as you were told. Wear elastics all the time, unless otherwise
directed. Take your elastics off while brushing. Change elastics as
directed, usually once or twice a day. Avoid Sticky Foods such as: Caramels Avoid Hard or Tough Foods Such as: Pizza Crust Cut the following foods into small pieces and
chew with the back teeth: Apples
Please feel free to contact the office if you are
experiencing any discomfort or if you have any questions. Below are a
few simple steps that might help if you are unable to contact us or if
you need a “quick fix”. Occasionally, a glued bracket may come loose. You can
remove the loose bracket and save it in an envelope to bring to the
office or leave it where it is, if it is not causing any irritation.
Call the office as soon as possible in order for us to allow time to
re-glue the bracket. If a wire is poking your gums or cheek there are
several things you can try until you can get to the office for an
appointment. First try a ball of wax on the wire that is causing the
irritation. You may also try using a nail clipper or cuticle cutter to
cut the extra piece of wire that is sticking out. Sometimes, a poking
wire can be safely turned down so that it no longer causes discomfort.
To do this you may use a pencil eraser, or some other smooth object, and
tuck the offending wire back out of the way. Please be careful to avoid hard or sticky foods that
may bend the wire or cause it to come out of the back brace. If this
does happen, you may use needle nose pliers or tweezers to put the wire
back into the hole in the back brace. If you are unable to do this, you
may clip the wire to ease the discomfort. Please call the office as soon
as possible to schedule an appointment to replace the wire. Some brackets have small hooks on them for elastic
wear. These hooks can occasionally become irritating to the lips or
cheeks. If this happens, you may either use a pencil eraser to carefully
push the hook in, or you can place a ball of wax on the hook to make the
area feel smooth. You may be experiencing some discomfort after
beginning treatment or at the change of wires or adjusting of
appliances. This is normal and should diminish within 24-72 hours. A few
suggestions to help with the discomfort: Home | Meet Our Doctors | First Visit | Dental Topics | Office Information | Ortho Topics/Early Ortho | Contact Us Pediatric Dentist Houston, TX. - Houston
Dentistry For Children |
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Band
& Loop (B & L)
A
lower lingual arch is a space maintainer for the lower teeth. It
maintains the molars where they are, it does not move them. This is
fabricated by placing bands on the molars and connecting them to a wire
that fits up against the inside of the lower teeth. It keeps the molars
from migrating forward and prevents them from blocking off the space of
teeth that develop later. This is used when you have the early loss of
baby teeth or when you have lower teeth that are slightly crowded in a
growing child and you do not want to remove any permanent teeth to
correct the crowding. 
An
appliance which is placed in the roof of the mouth to widen the upper
dental arch. The maxilla, or upper dental arch, is joined in the center
by a joint, which allows it to be painlessly separated and spread.
Temporarily you may see a space develop between the upper two front
teeth. This will slowly go away in a few days. Once this has occurred,
the two halves knit back together and new bone fills in the space. 
This
appliance provides continual, gradual pressure in as many as four
directions, to move molars, expand or contract arches or assist in
eliminating finger or thumb habits. 
A
universally used retainer with many applications; to move teeth, close
spaces, maintain alignment during or after treatment.
BRUSHING: