A Complete Guide to Children’s Braces
Parents never want to hear that they need to purchase children’s braces. For one thing, they get more and more expensive each year. Today, traditional braces can cost up to $8000 and if you want some bells and whistles, such as the type no one can see because they are behind your teeth, you could add on up to $5000 extra to the cost.
Most people have all they can do to afford health insurance and do not have extra coverage for dental. Most times dentists will arrange a payment plan you can afford. If you still need help buying children’s braces and are low income, you might be able to get some help from state programs. Another way is to try to get cheaper prices by going to a dental school where they charge less because students are learning the skills.
Children need braces if they have an incorrect bite. In the old days, braces were metal and round and fit over the teeth. Wires attached these to a bracket and pulled the teeth into alignment for a correct bite. The metal was very visible and kids got picked on for wearing them. If you had braces when you were a kid, you probably felt embarrassed.
Today braces are longer made of metal and the brackets are tiny and bonded to the teeth. Wires are much smaller and nowhere near as much tension is needed to achieve the correct bite. Elastics are used as well. Just like casts for broken bones, you can even get braces in different colors and with special designs.
Children see an orthodontist now as early as seven years old so an overall plan can be developed. It doesn’t mean your child will have to be fitted for braces right at the beginning. Once the permanent teeth are pushing their way in, an orthodontist can tell if braces will be needed and what the goal of this type of treatment will be.
Children’s braces do move teeth and they do it through the bone. The tension created by the brackets and wires causes cells to be produced on both sides of a tooth. Bone is created on one side and moved on the other. Braces are replaced by retainers after they have done their job. Braces have to be attached just after most of the permanent teeth have come through while there is still a chance for treatment to work. If you wait too long, you may miss the opportunity to correct the flaws.
Children’s braces do a lot of good not only to improve the appearance of teeth but also healthwise, to prevent gum disease and the early loss of teeth. People who have crooked teeth often have problems chewing which get worse with age. If you have teeth which are uneven they may weaken enamel and cause gum and jaw problems. You may develop more cavities and lose some of your teeth early.
Children who have to visit an orthodontist for braces need to continue to visit their normal dentist regularly as well. Visits are usually scheduled every six months for cleaning and checkups. If you need braces, you will probably see the orthodontist for a total period of from a year and a half to three years. It really depends on your personal treatment plan but this is the general range.
The prospect of children’s braces doesn’t usually thrill parents or kids but they have become a normal part of growing up for most families. If you inherited a bite that is going to be more damaging than good, it’s always good to get it fixed while you can. While the dental costs may be high now, it is always more than worth it in the long run. You should not take good, healthy teeth for granted.