Straightening Out The Facts On Braces
It May Not Be A 'Mouth Full Of Metal'
Parents have been asking me a mouthful of questions about the indications for their child needing braces. Brace yourselves for some information on this topic!
Most children do not have permanent teeth that grow in straight, or they have upper or lower jaws that are not the same size, causing overbite or underbite. This results in malocclusion, or a bad bite, and the way to straighten the teeth or the bite is through the use of braces placed by a specialist, a.k.a. the orthodontist.
Braces work by putting steady pressure on teeth over a period of time, usually at least two years. Wires help to shift the teeth slowly but surely into place, and rubber bands help to correct the alignment (how the teeth line up). When the braces come off, often a device called a retainera small, hard piece of plastic with wires like a mini-mouth guard is used to make sure the teeth stay in place. The retainer may also need to be worn for months or years, at least at night, once the braces come off.
The best way to determine whether or not braces are needed for your child is to discuss the issue with your childs dentist during a routine check-up of your childs teeth and jaws, usually during the early school age years. This way, potential problems can be spotted early even if treatment with braces is not in order for several years.
While many of us grew up with metal braces, today braces are much less noticeable, and can even be clear or the same color as teeth, or placed behind teeth so they blend in more easily. Even the wires are smaller and work faster to straighten the teeth, making your childs braces either not visible or a festival of colors if they would be prefer to have them noticed.
Children with braces need to remember that food can get stuck in them, leading to decay so they really need to make sure they are kept clean and free of tiny pieces of food. Popcorn, sticky candy and gum are notorious for doing this. Sugary sodas and juices can also put sugar onto the teeth that is hard to wash away if trapped inside the bracing wires, allowing bacteria to feast there and cause further decay. Thus, good brushing after eating is really in order for children with braces.
The important thing to tell your child is that braces are not forever, and the benefits occur the day they come off when his or her mouth and smile look terrific.
Hopefully tips like this will wire you with information that will make your child better understand the benefits of getting braces.
Lewis First, M.D., is chief of Pediatrics at Vermont Children's Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. You can also catch "First with Kids" weekly on WOKO 98.9FM and WPTZ Channel 5, or visit the First with Kids video archives at http://www.FletcherAllen.org/firstwithkids.