If you have a child who needs to have their teeth straightened, you do not always have to have an orthodontist intervene in the therapy. Orthodontics for children can sometimes be handled by your dentist.
While it is advisable to have a child see an orthodontist while his or her teeth are developing to take care of major problems with crowding or alignment, some simple straightening problems may be addressed by a general dentist. For example, in some instances, crowding may only entail the use of a dental treatment, such as Invisalign or a similar type of straightening therapy. The extent of the crowding has to be determined first. With this information, we can see if only a simple adjustment is necessary.
In some cases, we may suggest that a child wear spacers if they lose a baby tooth early. If you do not make room for a missing permanent tooth to emerge, the other teeth may shift and take up the space where the permanent tooth will come in. If this happens, you will later run into a problem with crooked teeth. To avoid this from happening, we can maintain the space, using a band or crown around adjacent teeth to keep them from taking up the gap where the permanent tooth will emerge. Making these kinds of adjustments can help greatly in keeping your child’s teeth in line, thereby minimizing the possibility of future orthodontic care.
Once the permanent tooth comes in, we will remove the spacer, so the teeth can naturally fall into their regular alignment. Seeing where adjustments can be made early can be a boon to your child’s overall oral health and can avoid more serious orthodontics for children.
To ensure that your child’s oral dentition remains normal, x-rays are regularly taken during the developmental years to see how the teeth are emerging and how they are positioned in the mouth. These early forms of detection will also help in reducing the need to see an orthodontic specialist later. If we see there is a problem a general dentist cannot address, he or she will suggest that you take your child to see an orthodontist to review a treatment plan.
You will find that getting braces for your child can be avoided if certain adjustments are made early. Our helpful and concerned dental team of professionals is always willing to give you answers to any dental inquiries about teeth straightening adjustments and procedures. To schedule an appointment for a professional exam and consultation, contact Holman Family Dentistry or visit us on Facebook.
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