October is National Orthodontic Health Month
BRACE YOURSELF: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU CHILD SEES THE ORTHODONTIST By Kerrie McLoughlin
Just when you think you have everything down as a parent, you find out it’s time to take your child to his first orthodontist visit. “It’s best to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required and the best time for that patient to be treated,” says Dr. Jay Oltien. Basically, the earlier any orthodontic treatment is started, the easier it will be to correct problems in the long run, he adds. There are many different reasons for kids to need orthodontic care, including overbite, underbite and crowded or overlapping teeth. Some of these problems can be caused by things like thumb sucking, accidents or tooth decay and some can even be inherited. Benefits of having straight teeth include making maintenance easier, which can prevent cavities; preventing wear on the surfaces of teeth; reducing stress on supportive teeth bones and gum tissue; and alleviating jaw joint problems that can cause headaches. Your child’s first trip to the orthodontist (who has two to three years more education than your family dentist) is nothing to be feared. A local orthodontist says, “At your
child’s first orthodontic visit (about 45 minutes in length), the pain-free examination will include digital photos, an X-ray and evaluation. Any questions you have will be explained thoroughly.” A mold of your child’s teeth may need to be taken. Your child may end up needing no orthodontic care for a few years, if at all.
FOODS TO AVOID WHEN YOU HAVE BRACES: ·Chewy foods like bagels, hard rolls, licorice ·Crunchy foods like popcorn, ice, chips ·Sticky foods like caramels and gum ·Hard foods like nuts and candy ·Foods you have to bite into like corn on the cob, apples, carrots These days there are many different options for orthodontic care. Eva Gavin, mom of four boys, says her 9-year-old son wears a
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retainer that she can adjust at home myself weekly, which saves a lot of time going to the orthodontist. Her 7-year-old son wears a permanent spacer. Braces are, of course, a possibility, and they have come a long way. Your child can get clear, gold or tooth-colored braces instead of just silver metal. Many local orthodontists allow you to choose the color of ties that hold the wire brackets. You could even decide to choose Invisalign, which is like a set of clear retainers (changed about every 2 weeks) that can be removed for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing. If your child does need braces or some other dental device, he can still play sports and musical instruments. And while kids used to dread the prospect of braces, now many of them actually look forward to it. It’s completely worthwhile in the end when they see their beautiful new smiles. Kerrie McLoughlin (TheKerrieShow.com) makes regular trips to the orthodontist with 3 of her 5 kids in braces.
