When Should I Take my Child to the Orthodontist?

Posted on: May 15th, 2018 by freshadmin No Comments

Many parents wonder at what age they should take their child for their first braces appointment. It’s one of the most common questions an orthodontist is asked.

At the Straight Teeth Suite we start treatment when the child is around 12 or 13. Sometimes as early as 11. It all depends on whether your child’s young adult teeth are present. What is important to understand here is that taking your child for their first orthodontic check-up does not necessarily mean that braces will be required at the age of 13, or even at all.

The importance of an early check-up

You may be wondering why you should take your child at such an early age? Is it too soon? Is there any point when their teeth aren’t even fully developed yet?

At the age of 13, the structure of your child’s teeth and bite are beginning to form. A number of their permanent teeth are starting to show, and at the Straight Teeth Suite we will be able to evaluate your child’s dental growth patterns. Getting an evaluation as soon as these teeth are visible will allow the dentist to pinpoint potential problems, such as overcrowding and crooked teeth.

A few common factors that the dentist will assess include

  • Placement of permanent teeth (including missing/additional teeth)
  • Jaw growth pattern
  • Crossbites
  • Overcrowding of teeth
  • Under/overbites
  • Habits that affect the bite
  • Potential problems with gum
  • Oral development issues

The list above are problems that most often appear early on, but each child’s individual dental growth is unique and there are a number of complex factors that could affect your child’s smile. Your orthodontist will review your child’s dental structure after their initial examination, which will often lead to a second observation, where your child will be re-evaluated after a period of 12 months.

If any issues are identified that can be addressed early, a discussion will be initiated regarding available treatment options, and your dentist will be able to give you a professional opinion along with suggestions.

Any treatment at the age of 13 will most likely be moderate, simple procedures that will focus on particular areas rather than the overall structure of your child’s smile.

At our practice, we understand that any kind of healthcare treatment at such an early age is a big step, and significant time should be allowed to consider all options and a complete review of the potential choices and process provided.

Visit our Nottingham Straight Teeth Suite dental practice to book a FREE consultation for your child and receive a full evaluation. Ensure your child has a happy and healthy dental future!

Tips for Teenagers: Brushing with Braces in Loughborough

Posted on: December 8th, 2015 by freshadmin No Comments

 

Young people often have so much going on in their lives they are too busy to take the time to brush their teeth properly.  They get up late, hurry breakfast, can’t find their school bag and have a hundred and one things they want to do before they brush their teeth and are out of the door to enjoy the day, leaving you feeling frazzled.

Your son or daughter has now reached the age where they have had their braces fitted, and it is now more important than ever they clean their teeth correctly and effectively. The Straight Teeth Suite in Loughborough does know busy mothers need help and have a few tips to pass on to your children to ensure they take care of their braces and have an easy and successful time straightening their teeth.  Cleaning around wires and brackets can be notoriously difficult but they will thank you in the end, even if it sometimes feels like you are nagging as you constantly repeat the phrase, “Have you cleaned your teeth?”

They need to:

Scrub teeth and braces with a good toothbrush taking care to brush above and under the wires.

Brush along the gum line, top and bottom.

 Brush all surfaces of the teeth; back, front, and top.

Rinse and check teeth and braces to ensure they are cleaned effectively, and there are no food particles trapped in the brackets, wires or between the teeth.

Be sure to rinse well with water, to remove any food particles that may be stuck, if unable to brush.

It is important to brush immediately after eating or as soon as possible.  If your son or daughter sneaks a fizzy drink or eat sweets despite instructions not to eat or drink foods high in sugar content while wearing braces, let them know they must brush their teeth straight away before the sugar does any damage.  They need to brush at least three times a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush and to change their toothbrush frequently for a new one.

Braces can increase the bacteria in your teeth and mouth, increasing the risk of tooth decay and cavities.  The should use a Waterpik if possible, or a teepee brush to clean around the brackets. This will help to eliminate any bacteria and food particles trapped in those hard-to-reach places.

You can remind your children if they take good care of their teeth and braces they will in just a few months’ time have great smiles to impress their friends.  

If you have any questions or are interested in braces for your children, contact the Straight Teeth Suite in Loughborough for a free consultation.

Ditch the Dummy – Braces for Teenagers in Loughborough

Posted on: November 9th, 2015 by freshadmin No Comments

 

You might see thumb sucking, dummies and braces as three stages of your child’s development but if nobody ever warned you of the connection, you might not know you are setting your child up for problems in the future by allowing your baby to continue this habit.  If nobody ever said, as your little angel popped his thumb, or dummy, into his mouth, “Oh how adorable but he will damage his jaw and teeth and need braces if you don’t stop that now,” you will not be aware there might be unnecessary problems to come. But now your little angel has now grown into an angst-filled, precocious teenager hiding away, too embarrassed to smile, posting sulky looking selfies on Facebook,  which don’t win any  popularity contests with their friends who pout and grin unselfconsciously at the camera.  All’s not lost. You can help your teenager by bringing them along to the Straight Teeth Suite in Loughborough

Modern braces can, over time, fix many problems and no longer resemble the train-tracks of yesteryear when we all looked like a weird version of Frankenstein.  Depending on the specific problem, be it crooked teeth or a gappy smile, a narrow arch or a poor bite, dentists now have the solution to correct the problem with a selection of clear ceramic braces, hidden braces, fitted to the reverse of the teeth, or aligners.  You can reassure your teenager no one need know, and they can go to school without fearing they will be the butt of anyone’s joke.

However, let us rewind for a moment.   You can help from a much earlier stage in your child’s development by stopping thumb sucking and by never introducing your child to a dummy in the first place. You may have seen pictures of unborn infants contentedly sucking their thumb in the mother’s womb, but this is a habit young children should have grown out of before they attend kindergarten at around the age of three years old.  If this habit continues later into childhood when the adult teeth start to come through, there is a high risk of malocclusion, the imperfect positioning of teeth, due to the pressure of the constant sucking of dummies, thumbs or fingers.  In the worst case scenario, the shape of the jaw can be seriously damaged by sucking with the negative pressure altering the shape of the arch causing problems with the bite resulting in surgery and braces to correct the problem.

Fortunately, most problems with your teenager’s teeth can be remedied by your dentist. Teenager’s see this as a great source of comfort amid the stress and anxiety of their lives.  They are under enough pressure at school these days with their image, let alone education, friends and family. Parents, above all else, need to help their children to feel good about themselves and never to feel a social outcast. The goal is not to strive for perfection but to celebrate how fabulous you child is.  The gift of straight, healthy teeth is one way to restore or build confidence and self-esteem. For a FREE consultation  with your teenager, make an appointment at the Straight Teeth Suite in Loughborough.

Brace Removal for Your Child In Nottingham Aftercare Once Braces Have Been Removed

Posted on: October 13th, 2015 by freshadmin No Comments

 

The day that your child’s braces are removed is always very exciting. Finally, they will be able to eat what they want! However that excitement can be offset somewhat with worries of appearance and questions about what happens next. Below we have compiled the answers to the most commonly asked questions in Nottingham relating to teens after brace care.

Will my child get white marks on their teeth from the braces?

It’s not braces that damage or mark the teeth; it’s not cleaning the teeth well enough, or eating the wrong things. Please make sure your child avoids fizzy drinks and sweet things. Ensure they brush their teeth, use the recommended mouthwash, and use a Tepe teeth cleaner to avoid white marks. Otherwise, they could end up with lovely straight teeth, but white marks everywhere.

Remember, you and your child are doing this for them. Their smile is for themselves. It’s about them gaining the confidence that comes with having a straight smile for the rest of their life.

Will my child need retainers at the end of the treatment?

Definitely.

Whether a child, teenager or an adult, and whatever type of brace, retainers must be worn at the end of the treatment. Without retainers, the teeth will move back to their original position.

Here at Straight Teeth Suite we like to provide the combination type retainer. This is a small, fixed retainer, consisting of a little bar that goes at the back of your child’s teeth, so it can’t be seen.

We also provide a night-time retainer, a plastic clear one, that goes on top of it, to be worn (as the name suggests!) at night.

This retainer combination is recommended to be worn probably for the rest of your child’s life. Retainers do have a lifespan, so every 5 to 10 years they will need replacing. Like anything, there will be wear and tear.

There are cases where your child may need a two-stage type treatment; initially having a removable brace, and then a fixed brace. If this is the case, please ensure that your child wears the removable brace as instructed. If it’s not worn, then the teeth will not move as desired, and things are not going to improve.

Will my child need headgear?

No, we don’t use it.

The way to prevent your child’s teeth from shifting again is by ensuring they wear the retainers at the end of their treatment.

Remember, retainers are for life. Even when your child is an adult they will need to have a retainer. Otherwise, their teeth will move back to their original position, and you’ve both gone through all of this treatment and expense for nothing.

Don’t forget, if you have any questions at all, you can contact us at our Leicester clinic to arrange a FREE consultation.