Braces and Myobrace: A guide Written By: Dr. Ankita Shah, Jan 2021
If you’re a parent, you’ve probably wondered if your child will need orthodontic braces! You definitely desire, your child to have a healthy, white and bright dazzling smile with no crooked teeth, right?
Early detection helps eliminate your child's potential bite, speech problems and ability to chew and digest foods properly. An orthodontic evaluation should be as early as 7 yrs of age is recommended by The American Association of Orthodontics.
Most commonly crooked teeth are attributed to hereditary factors. Is that true but? We tend to blame genetics but that’s not always the case. Various habits like mouth breathing, incorrect swallowing pattern, thumb sucking lead to incorrect jaw development and crooked teeth.
Your child may need orthodontic treatment in case of:
Early or late loss of baby teeth (your child should typically start losing teeth around 6yrs of age)
Forwardly placed teeth
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRACES AND MYOBRACE?
Dental braces are devices that align and straighten teeth and jaws. Braces can be either cosmetic or structural. Today's orthodontics offer more kinds of braces than ever before like metal, ceramic, invisible braces like lingual braces, Invisalign and Flash. Braces have been used since decades to align crooked teeth in early teens but they cannot correct the growth of the jaws and underlying causes for crooked teeth. Poor oral habits are evident before all permanent teeth are present. Myobrace is the one that focuses on correcting the underlying causes for crooked teeth leading to natural growth and development. These procedures are best suited for children from 6-7 years through their early teens.
GENERAL CARE RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN WITH BRACES:
The orthodontic appliance i.e. Braces, Retainers or Myobrace are delicate and needs to be taken care of to function properly and to give good results in a minimum time. Brushing your teeth using an orthodontic toothbrush twice daily is a must. With the advancements in the field of braces, the degree of discomfort is nil now. It is very important to follow your activation appointments to avoid any delays in treatment duration. Extremely hard and sticky foods like Chikki, Chakli, Hard Ladoos, Pop Corn, Pizza, Wafers, Banana Chips, Chewing Gums, Frozen Chocolates, Eclairs, Caramel Products, Grilled sandwich, Aerated Drinks, Waffle Cones, Meat with Bone etc. should be avoided whilst the treatment is in progress to prevent any breakage and cavities in teeth. Retainers are appliances to be worn regularly after braces removal to avoid any relapse. They can be fixed or removable depending upon requirement.
It is a universal desire for every child to have a stunning and spectacular smile. A gorgeous smile is the unspoken sign of health and happiness across the planet. Hence it is better to start early than to chase cure. Make choices that are beneficial, not comfortable.
“A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.”
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Keywords : children, crooked teeth, oral habits, orthodontics , braces, preventive pre-orthodontics, Myobrace, teens, pre-adolescent, parents
Note : This article was written and published by Dr. Ankita Shah for WorldOfMoms.