The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends that all children receive an orthodontic screening by age 7, Permanent teeth generally begin to come in at age 6 or 7. It is at this point that orthodontic problems become apparent. Making Braces Fun
To make braces more acceptable and fun for young people, manufacturers have made brightly colored elastics. These are the tiny rubber bands that hold the wires to the braces. Children can choose elastics with their school colors or a holiday color scheme, such as orange and black for Halloween.
Braces today tend to be less uncomfortable and less visible than they used to be. But they still take some getting used to. Food can get caught around brackets and in wires, and flossing and brushing can take more time. After adjustments sometimes the teeth may be a little sore. Tooth discomfort can be controlled by taking a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Tylenol and others) or aspirin if necessary. The use of lighter and more flexible wires has greatly lessened the amount of soreness or discomfort during treatment.
As more and more children get braces, schoolyard nicknames such as tin grin†and metal mouth†are heard less often. Because treatment has become more socially acceptable, embarrassment may be less of a concern.
BEYOND BRACES
Orthodontic treatment in young children is known as interceptive orthodontics. Intervention may begin as early as age 6 or 7. At this age, teeth are still developing. The jaw is still growing. That means certain conditions, such as crowding, may be easier to address.
Before permanent teeth have come in, it may be possible to help teeth to erupt (emerge through the gums) into better positions. It’s common, for example, for the dental arch to be too small to fit all of the teeth. A few decades ago, the solution for crowding was almost always to extract some of the permanent teeth to make space. Then fixed braces were used to position the teeth properly.
Interceptive orthodontic treatment takes advantage of the fact that a child’s jaw is still growing. For example, a device called a palatal expander may be used to expand the child’s upper dental arch. Once the arch is the proper size, there’s a better chance that the adult teeth will emerge in better position. Sometimes teeth still may be crowded after all of them have erupted. In such cases, some permanent teeth may still have to be extracted to make room to align the teeth properly.
So-called interceptive orthodontic treatment also may be useful when the dental arches and jaws are not in the correct position. Functional appliances may fix or improve these problems. More treatment usually is needed later on, but it may be shorter and less involved. It is important to note that early treatment does not apply to all orthodontic problems. However, it may help in certain cases.
Some conditions that require interceptive orthodontic treatment are crossbites and underbites, and increased overjet (front teeth sticking out). A crossbite can cause the facial structures to grow unevenly. Front teeth that stick out may be fractured or injured in an accident, such as a fall. Underbites left untreated will almost always require surgery at a later age.
