Children
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends children have an orthodontic evaluation by age seven. Getting ahead of common orthodontic issues in young kids can prevent more invasive and costly treatment down the road.
Children’s orthodontic problems develop from genetics, mouth injuries, early or late loss of baby teeth, or thumb-sucking habits. Some common issues we see in our young patients include crowded teeth, too much space between teeth, jaw growth problems, protruding teeth, and bad bites. The good news is that we’re experts at correcting childhood orthodontic problems. Starting early gives your child the optimal outcome with the least invasive treatment possible.
After meeting your child and assessing their orthodontic health, we may recommend splitting their treatment plan into two phases. Splitting the treatment is often the most efficient and effective way to correct the problems with their teeth and bite.
Once all of their permanent teeth have come in, around age 13, your child is ready for Phase Two. During Phase Two, you see all of the work in Phase One and the Resting Period really pay off.
During Phase Two, Dr. Kaye and Dr. Yucha guide each tooth to its exact location in the mouth where it works in concert with the other teeth and the lips, tongue, and cheeks. You can choose any type of braces or Invisalign Clear Aligners to perfect the smile during Phase Two. Phase Two lasts for about 24 months. By the end of this final phase, your child’s bite will function well, their teeth will align properly, and their smile will look spectacular.
Not all children need two-phase treatment. When you bring your child to our office for their initial consultation, Dr. Kaye or Dr. Yucha will thoroughly examine your child’s teeth and mouth. Using X-rays, photos, and models of the teeth, the orthodontists determine if early treatment is necessary and establish a diagnosis and treatment plan. Your child’s treatment plan will include all the details such as the best appliances to be used, the duration of treatment, and the frequency of office visits.
When this happy phase comes to a close, we fit your child with a custom retainer to ensure the teeth stay in their healthy final position while the bone around the teeth hardens and the tissues tighten.
At the end of a successful Phase One, we will have created sufficient space in your child’s mouth for all of their permanent teeth to come in without any trouble. During the resting period, we monitor how the permanent teeth erupt but essentially leave them alone to come in naturally. We may recommend a retainer for the existing permanent teeth so they stay in a good position. However, if the retainer might interfere with the eruption of other permanent teeth, we recommend going through the resting period without a retainer. The reason is that by allowing the teeth some freedom of movement, we can prevent existing teeth from becoming impacted or severely displaced.
Your child will need appointments only periodically so that Dr. Kaye and Dr. Yucha can monitor your child’s progress. If necessary, the doctors may remove select baby teeth to enhance and ease the eruption of the permanent teeth.
Without a doubt. Your child can absolutely play sports or an instrument even while they have braces. If a child plays an instrument with their mouth (like a trumpet or clarinet), they may take a few days to get used to playing while wearing their braces or Invisalign clear aligners. They’ll soon get the hang of it and won’t notice much of a difference.
We recommend children wear mouthguards when playing sports to protect their appliances and their teeth from injuries. If your child does get a mouth injury while they have braces, call our office right away. We’ll help you make sure there’s no damage that will delay your child’s treatment.
Right after your child gets braces or after routine adjustments, their mouth will feel sensitive and they’ll probably want to eat soft foods for a few days. Be a hero and throw in some soft-serve ice cream with dinner. After a short while, your child can resume eating normally with a few exceptions.
Have your child pass on popcorn and crunchy snacks like pretzels, chips, nuts, and crunchy veggies. They shouldn’t eat chewy and gummy candy, chewing gum, hard candy, or ice. These types of foods can get stuck in braces, damage the brackets or archwires, or pull a bracket off the tooth.
Food can easily get stuck in braces, so regular and thorough brushing is very important. Your child should brush their teeth at least three times a day, including before bed and after every meal.
They should also floss at least once a day to clear food particles from hard-to-reach spots where a toothbrush can’t reach, which will prevent excessive tooth decay and maintain healthy gums. Flossing, which is already tricky for kids, is even more challenging with braces, so as a parent you’ll need to spend some time with them guiding the process and making sure they can floss well. A water flosser or orthodontic flossers designed especially for use with braces can make the whole process easier.
Orthodontic appointments don’t replace routine dental cleanings. During orthodontic treatment, it’s essential you take your child to the dentist twice a year for a checkup and thorough cleaning.
“My daughter had her braces put on today, and despite being very nervous, she left happy as can be! Thank you so much!” -Kelly S.
