Most children have a mix of milk and permanent teeth by the age of 7, some of the orthodontic problems seen in children are genetically linked. Children may experience overcrowding of teeth, extra or missing teeth, protruding teeth and sometimes jaw growth problems. It is important to know how orthodontic treatment works , basically it helps in aligning the teeth uniformly and gives the child a nice smile. Next one must know the different type of orthodontics treatments available in the market, the cost of the treatment and the duration of the treatment. In many of the clinics one finds a orthodontic treatment coordinator who will fix the appointments according to the treatment prescribed which may be in steps.
Some of the causes of malocclusion are abnormal swallowing, poor dental hygiene, the early or late loss of baby teeth, accidents or poor nutrition .Trauma and other medical conditions like birth defects may contribute to orthodontic problems as well .The AAO recommends that all children above 7 years of age must get an orthodontic check regularly so that treatment can be started at the right time as delayed treatment in some conditions may lead to complications.
The type of appliances used may be headgear which is worn for 12-14 hours and can be removed ,fixed functional device which cannot be removed ,removable functional device and jaw expanders.
The most important thing to remember is that a successful outcome of the treatment depends on patient compliance.
The latest in orthodontics is Invisalign technology this consists of a number of invisible aligners which are custom made to fit an individuals teeth .This means your Invisalign are invisible preventing you from embarrassing moments in life and with out disrupting your lifestyle .When using these you have to take the following precautions remove your aligners to eat, brush and floss, change aligners every two weeks and regular progress checks with your dentist or orthodontist .With this treatment the teeth move a little at a time and the treatment is completed in six months to a year .The added advantage being no bands or metal wires to irritate you.
The other type of braces treatment used are braces which are made of metal in such cases parents must inform the orthodontist if the child is suffering from any allergies like allergy to nickel or to the latex rubber bands. The rubber bands contribute a lot to the treatment by exerting continuous force on the teeth to keep them from protruding, its important to wear your elastics everyday and change them daily. If the rubberbands are not worn regularly treatment comes to a standstill but when the rubbers are worn the teeth never fail to move. If you comply only than will your orthodontist treatment be successful.