Look after your little one’s teeth so they have the brightest smile as they grow up.
PARTNER CONTENT When we enter into parenthood, we automatically accept that we will have worries for the remainder of our life.
First, we worry our babies are not drinking or eating enough, then we worry they are not talking or walking quickly enough, and when they lose their first baby tooth, we worry that their smile may not be perfect enough!
That’s why the orthodontic team at Snö Dental Clinics, Abu Dhabi, follows the American Association of Orthodontics advice to get the developing smile of your little one checked by the age of seven years.
By this time, most children have approximately four or more permanent teeth, and the orthodontist is able to assess the development of the smile and occlusion to determine the risk for future problems, or help to intervene early to decrease or remove those problems completely.
In general, there are two ways to approach the orthodontic treatment of a child:
- Interceptive orthodontic treatment: before all permanent teeth have erupted
- Comprehensive orthodontic treatment: when all permanent teeth have erupted
It is not always in the child’s best interest to start comprehensive treatment which may continue for years with little efficiency. Thus, early detection and treatment of your child’s smile is crucial. It may prevent serious problems from developing and may make treatment shorter and less complicated.
Early orthodontic treatment for children, at Snö Dental Clinics, is mostly limited to:
- Habit- breaking appliances: Habits like finger and thumb sucking, using a pacifier or bottle, tongue thrust swallowing, etc., can be stressful for parents. While some children break the habit naturally at home, some require custom habit-breaking appliances that are a safe and effective way to stop unwanted behaviour and keep your child’s functional development on track.
- Retracting high- risk teeth: Trauma to the front teeth can have long-term dental impact and is normally related to a deviated bite. While we may not correct the bite at a young age due to a low level of growth available, we can retract the front teeth to within the control of the lips, thereby reducing the risk for trauma and adding to the aesthetic improvement of the smile.
- Developmental problems: Deviations in tooth eruption, or reduced space due to early loss of a baby tooth can change your child’s smile and bite development. Timely, early orthodontic intervention can reduce future invasive and complicated orthodontic treatment like possible extractions, etc. Early orthodontic treatment, before the permanent teeth have erupted can result in not needing ortho treatment in the future at all!
- Psychological impact: We recognise and appreciate that the social and emotional development of every child is just as important at the physical development. Decreased self-esteem, peer bullying due to one’s smile has a real impact on the wellbeing of the child. If a patient feels that their smile is detracting from their emotional health, the orthodontics team at Snö Dental Clinics in Abu Dhabi we will always intervene to correct the area of concern.
- Deviations in growth: There is, generally, a family history of underbites and severe deviations in the bite leading to surgical correction as a teenager. With early intervention, it may be possible to decrease the need for these surgeries and the orthodontic check-up will include an evaluation of the growth and advice on the best option for your child.
The appliances to correct the above conditions range from reminder appliances to help cease bad habits, to partial fixed braces for space redistribution, to invisible aligners like Invisalign™.
When trying to decide which appliance is best suited for your child, the orthodontist will discuss all the treatment pros and cons.
Traditional braces are strong and are placed on permanent teeth only. They can be customized and can be decorated with different colours at each appointment. The drawback is difficulty cleaning teeth and oral hygiene, in addition to limiting one’s diet as hard, sticky foods can damage the braces. Also, it can be seen as they are quite noticeable.
Invisalign™ is a well-known and popular transparent alternative to braces and can be used to straighten the permanent dentition of both children and adults. It is removable, providing the added benefit of making brushing easier for little teeth, and also the fact that they can eat almost anything will make your dinner time easier at home!
The orthodontic team at Snö Dental can evaluate your child’s smile and bite in both function and aesthetics. Email [email protected] or call 800 DENTIST to learn more.
