Tips to Help Make Wearing Braces Fun!

Posted on: July 17th, 2018 by freshadmin No Comments

Whether it’s getting up for school, making friends or getting good grades, through the eyes of a teen even the smallest of stresses can feel like a huge struggle, which is why most will turn away at the first mention of braces.

However, the idea of braces need not be something to cringe at. Once your child’s orthodontic treatment is complete, they will have a happier, healthier smile and their confidence will bloom.

Although it may seem intimidating at first, what is important to understand is that braces are not uncommon during adolescence and many teens are experiencing a similar thing, with all the same worries and concerns.

As a parent, there are a number of ways you can help ease any anxious thoughts your child may be having about the treatment. To erase these worries, you can encourage your child to see the overall experience as positive and exciting!  Here are some fun ideas to get you started:

Throw a brace supper party! Before getting their braces fitted, throw your child a party and celebrate with a table full of all the foods they’ll need to avoid whilst wearing their braces. Giving them this day of indulgence will make saying goodbye to their favourite treats less of a loss and give them something to look forward to before having their braces fitted, and after they come off, too.

Join in. Crooked or crowded teeth can be bothersome for adults, too. If you’re unhappy with your smile and have been for a while, it can be encouraging for your child or teen if you go through the treatment process together. You’ll be able to give them further guidance and support throughout the period of their treatment, and you’ll both end up with brighter and healthier smiles.

Add some colour. With a traditional set of braces, each visit to the dentist gives patients the opportunity to change their bracket bands. These come in a range of colours, and so gives each visit an element of fun. Your child can personalise their braces and experiment with their favourite colours by mixing and matching their bracket bands at each visit.

Get blending in the kitchen. Since wearing braces can cause some pressure and tightness, smoothies can be a nutritional, yummy and exciting way to help beat the beat the craving for off-limit foods. Especially after getting your child’s braces tightened, taking a trip down the fruit and veg aisle for some smoothie ingredients can take their mind off of the discomfort.  Go home and get busy in the kitchen by throwing in a variety of different ingredients into a smoothie. You can make up a new one together every time!

Positive reassurance. It can be easy to feel self-conscious whilst wearing braces, which is why it’s important to keep communicating with your child throughout their treatment. Encourage them to always smile and remind them that the treatment is an exciting experience that will have beautiful results.

Straight Teeth Suite offers in braces for children and adults alike. Contact our practice today HERE to see how we can help give you a brighter smile.

Understanding Orthodontic Treatment for Children Part 1: Materials, Costs and Check Ups

Posted on: November 12th, 2015 by freshadmin No Comments

 

Orthodontic treatment for children has been done for many, many decades. Treatment is very safe, and it’s very important. Ideally, everyone who has crooked teeth, or misaligned teeth should have treatment in those early years, or as teenagers, in order to improve the bite.

It is easier to treat a growing child. The gums are stronger. The teeth are stronger. Everything happens more predictably.

In this two part series we will answer the most frequently asked questions we get from parents considering orthodontic treatment for their children.

What materials do we use?

Here at the Straight Teeth Suite, we tend to fit conventional types of braces on children who have lost their baby teeth because what we want to do is not just improve the appearance of the teeth, but also to correct the bite, or encourage a positive bite.

The majority of our child patients will have either a metal or tooth coloured fixed brace. Most of the time we tend to opt for metal.

A metal brace consists of metal wire and elastics that hold the wire in place. It will also consist of elastics to hook top teeth to bottom ones to improve or correct the bite.

How much would it cost?

Depending on what type of brackets we use, it can be as little as £1,800, or up to £3,000 – £3,500. Obviously, if we decide to go for a ceramic option, it may be a little bit more, but on average, it’s between these two prices.

Results can last for life, as long as your child also wears a retainer. This keeps the teeth straight, and otherwise your teeth will move back to their original position.

Unfortunately there are a lot of adults who had braces when they were children, but as they never wore retainers, they have to go through the treatment all over again. Understanding the importance of retainers from a young age, can be the key in avoiding the treatment a second time around later in life, and incurring another cost.

How often would I need to see the dentist?

With conventional braces for children, we tend to review your child every 6 to 8 weeks, and then approximately every 4 weeks as we get closer to the end of the treatment.

Is the treatment painful?

It can be uncomfortable in the first few weeks, because there will be new pressure on the teeth, and there can be rubbing from the brackets, but it does get easier over time.

Some children cope better than others, and of course, as long as they get regular reassurance then it becomes much easier for the child to deal with. Additional help such as keeping wax for the brackets, and maybe painkillers for the first few days, can also make a big difference.

In Part 2 of this series we will be discussing the importance of early treatment and whether braces are the right treatment for your child.

Contact us HERE and book your FREE consultation to discuss your child’s options in full!

Back To School in Nottingham: How To Care For Your Braces

Posted on: September 30th, 2015 by freshadmin No Comments

 

With September comes the beginning of another school year in Nottingham. While most school children are still reminiscing about their summer and occupying themselves with preparations for another busy year, some may also be worrying about taking care of their new set of braces. This can be a frustrating addition to the already long list of stresses that come with being a teenager.

To make it easier, the team here at Straight Teeth Suite have pulled together a simple list of essential tips for you to follow in order to properly take care of your braces during term time:

Create your very own “Brace bag” Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, rubber bands and more. Braces come with a lot of accessories, which is why it’s important to keep organised. Designating a home for all your brace care essentials will help you locate everything you need easily, as well as remind you to brush, floss and change your rubber bands.  

Regular brushing. With braces, it’s important to make brushing a priority. Braces make it easy for food to get stuck in the small corners and crevices of your mouth, which means bacteria can linger on your teeth. Taking some time after eating to brush and floss your teeth can prevent bacteria from infecting your gums and keep your teeth healthy and clean throughout your treatment.

Avoid tricky foods. Although it may be tempting to chew a piece of gum or grab a handful of popcorn while at the cinema with friends, it’s important to stay clear of the foods that will damage your braces. Sticky and hard foods can cause a number of problems and may even end up prolonging your treatment, so be sure to refrain and keep in mind that you can reward yourself once the treatment is complete!  

Check for extra protection. Depending on the circumstances, it’s important that you let your dentist know if you play any kind of sport or take part in heavy activity regularly. It is important to speak with your dentist to determine whether it is necessary for you to wear a mouthguard during PE or after school athletics programmes.

Smile! Braces are something you should be proud of! They symbolise the smile that you will soon have! Show them off and smile as much as you can, in and around school. Getting braces is an exciting experience and the results will be more than worth it!

Straight Teeth Suite is here to provide Nottingham students with a brighter smile. Contact us in our Nottingham practice today for more information on how we can help you achieve a healthy and happy smile.

 

Understanding Orthodontic Treatment for Children In Loughborough Part 2: The Importance of Early Treatment

Posted on: August 24th, 2015 by freshadmin No Comments

 

Welcome back to Part 2 of this two part series, where we are answering the most frequently asked questions we get from parents considering orthodontic treatment for their children.

In Part 1  we discussed materials, costs and the importance of regular check ups and after care. Here, in Part 2 we discuss the importance of early treatment.

Is it better to start treatment early?

In different countries, different dentists will have different approaches, and treat patients in different ways. Abroad, a lot of the dentists will tend to carry out treatment when the child is around the age of 8 or 9, and they will do it in two phases. The first phase in the mix tissue when the child has a mixture of both baby teeth and adult teeth, then they may consider whether to do a second phase when the patient is older and has adult teeth.

In the U.K., a lot of our training is with young teenagers, before baby teeth have been lost, and when adult teeth are present. So we tend to start treatment when the child is around 12 or 13. Sometimes children lose their baby teeth a bit earlier, and so may be able to start earlier, for example at 11. That’s the ideal scenario, but treatment can be started right up to adulthood.

Will my child have to have teeth out for treatment?

This depends on a number of factors. Here at the Straight Teeth Suite, we use brackets like the Damon brackets, which fortunately have brought down our extraction rate, so we need to take less teeth out.

We will only remove teeth if there is severe crowding, if the profile is really filled up, or your child has severe overjet. Overjet, not to be confused with overbite, means the top teeth are very far forward, and they need to be pushed back.

If a tooth is really unhealthy it may need to come out. These are the only times that we will consider extraction. Obviously, there will be some exceptions. But fortunately, we’ve reduced our extraction rates, thanks to using the Damon system.

Is my child suitable for this treatment?

As long as their teeth are healthy, the roots of their teeth are healthy, and their gums are healthy, your child should be suitable.

There are some patients whose bite issues are so severe that they can only be corrected with surgery. Luckily this is very rare, but if your child happens to be one of those cases, we would tell you immediately and refer you to the hospital.

How long will treatment take?

Treatment times can take anything between 12, 18, or 24 months, depending on the complexity of the corrections being made. In some cases patients may need a removable brace first, and then move on to a fixed brace.

If you still have questions, or you think your child may need braces, contact us HERE for a FREE consultation and we can develop a treatment plan especially for your child.