Orthodontic appliances for children

Orthodontics for children aims to modify jaw growth. With certain orthodontic appliances, bone growth or teeth are shifted to restore ideal alignment, while improving necessary functionalities such as speech and chewing. The role of orthodontic treatment in children is therefore to intercept any malocclusion and treat it before growth ceases. The main aim is to prevent the development of functional disorders in the future. Treatments vary according to the child’s age and the problem to be addressed. An initial consultation is recommended from the age of 6, and ideally before the age of 12. Although orthodontic treatment can be undertaken at any age, problems may be easier to correct if the patient is young, and intervening during growth is an additional factor for success. If you notice any of these problems, get in touch with one of our orthodontists :

• Poor positioning of teeth
• Jaw misalignment in the right-left or front-back direction
• Definitive teeth that don’t come out
• Teeth too far forward

Children as young as 5 or 6 can be fitted with braces, but this is rare. Generally speaking, an appointment with an orthodontist should be made as early as age 7. At this stage, children have both baby and permanent teeth. During this first consultation, the orthodontist will be able to assess whether orthodontic treatment is necessary, or whether it’s sufficient just to follow the evolution of the permanent teeth. If braces are indicated at this early age, the aim is to prevent the problem from worsening. These treatments are generally short (a few months), intercepting the problem and allowing the jaw and teeth to continue growing in the right direction. As a general rule, orthodontic treatment should be carried out during the period of growth, not until all the baby teeth have fallen out. Orthodontic treatment can still be carried out in adulthood (with very good results), but growth can no longer be taken advantage of, and major problems may no longer be correctable without jaw surgery.

Wearing braces can be uncomfortable, especially at the beginning of treatment. Friction from braces and wires can irritate the soft tissues inside the mouth. To alleviate this problem, we give wax to apply to the irritating parts of the braces while the patient gets used to them. Children are much more adaptable than adults. They generally take a few days to get used to their new appliance (whatever it may be).

There are two types of orthodontic appliances: removable appliances, which can be removed and are clipped onto the teeth, and fixed appliances, which are bonded to the surface of the teeth. For bonded fixed appliances, the orthodontist cleans and polishes the tooth surface. He applies an etchant and a special adhesive. He places the brackets precisely one by one, then connects them with a wire called a bow.

It takes about a week to adapt to braces, whether in terms of pain or new habits: foods to avoid (too hard, too sticky, soft chewing), and a new brushing method, which will take a little longer than normal. Once you’ve got the hang of it, your child won’t even know he’s wearing braces!

Once again… it all depends on the type of appliance. In the case of interceptive treatment in mixed dentition, the treatment period ranges from 6 to 12 months. In the case of permanent dentition, treatment takes between 18 and 24 months. These treatment times remain approximate, as they also depend largely on the child’s physiology and compliance.

During the first week, it’s best to eat soft, easy-to-swallow foods. Then, for the duration of the treatment, avoid eating foods that are too hard (such as nuts, crusty bread, apples, cereal bars, etc.), or sticky foods (chewing gum, nougats, carambar, etc.). Nor should you bite your fingernails, chicken bones or corncobs. Nor should you chew on a pencil or pen. Gentle chewing is also essential to prevent rings and wires from coming unstuck.

Fixed braces in our clinic are not colored; they are either metal or ceramic (braces). On the other hand, removable appliances such as resin plates can be customized with color or glitter to suit the patient’s taste.