Kids on the coast

Is orthodontic work more common in kids because more need help? Or is this practice a by-product of our affluent society? Has having your kid’s mouth set off alarms at the airport become a status symbol of sorts? Are the benefits of perfect teeth worth the cost and aggravation?

Let’s start with an understanding of what orthodontics is… as opposed to dentistry. Karen Brodbeck from Ocean Orthodontics tells me orthodontics is a discipline within dentistry. It is concerned with the growth of the jaws and more particularly of the relationships of the jaws and the teeth to each other. “Orthodontics is most commonly about braces and straightening teeth,” she says.

“Additional training is required to obtain another degree to become a registered specialist in orthodontics.”

Why is orthodontic care important?

The Australian Society of Orthodontics (ASO) says people have orthodontic treatment to improve the appearance, health and function of their teeth and, with proper care, it can enable a person to keep their teeth for their entire life. (Maybe, with any luck, teeth in a glass beside the bed might eventually be a thing of the past!) “It’s more difficult to clean your teeth when they are crowded and overlapping,” an ASO spokesperson says. “Inadequate cleaning is a major factor in tooth decay, gum disease and eventual tooth loss.”

Cleaning is not the only challenge with misaligned teeth. It is also claimed that bad bites lead to clenching, grinding, and excessive wear and/or uneven wear. Sometimes (as in the case of a deep bite) the teeth can damage the gum unless intervention is sought. Some people even find speech affected by the placement of their teeth.

When should orthodontic intervention be sought?

ASO says orthodontic problems are usually apparent by the age of seven, when most of the adult front teeth have erupted. It recommends early, preventative treatment but, in most cases, treatment does not commence before the last baby tooth has been shed (usually in the early teens). Karen agrees that early treatment of potential problems is imperative. “Children with crowding, finger or thumb habits, cross-bites, protruding front teeth, under-bites, overbites, or other alignment problems can be effectively treated with early treatment,” she says.

What sort of treatment?

Dr Vas Srinivasan from Kawana Dental explains that treatment for kids is often optimally started as early as two or three years old using ‘functional appliances’ or plates to correct problems such as narrow arches (which are associated with ear, nose, throat (ENT) or airway problems. Generally however, functional appliances are used in the 6-10 age group to reduce the complexity of further treatment. They can be removable or bonded in.

Just as the number of kids with braces has increased, so has the range of hardware available. Each comes with its own pros and cons that your orthodontist will explain. Dr Vas prefers to use the smallest brackets available, called ‘speed’, unless patients choose to have ceramic braces or even ‘inside/tongue side’ braces called lingual braces. Braces are bonded to either the front or tongue side of the teeth.

As an alternative to braces for teens and adults, Kawana Dental uses Invisalign, a relatively new treatment which uses a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually straighten teeth, without metal or wires. Every couple of months, patients receive a series of these custom moulded ‘gladwrap-looking’ aligners which gently correct the teeth alignment.

Long gone fear

Since the majority of treatments are made early, one of the newest innovations in the industry doesn’t relate to the treatment at all: it’s all about making people (and more importantly, kids) feel at home. Gone are the days of dread at visiting the dentist, with DVDs in the ceiling, fish tanks for relaxation and even coffee and tea for parents while they wait.

Gone are the days when kids with braces were ridiculed in the playground and this must be a good thing…as long as Australia doesn’t spiral down the path of Thailand where the Global Post reports fake braces are considered the latest fashion statement. “Those who can’t afford dentist fees sometimes resort to braces attached in flea markets and living rooms by entrepreneurs with mail-order dental supplies,” it reports. This recent phenomena resulted in two deaths last August due to a resulting infected thyroid and fatal heart failure. Moral of the story…probably: use a trusted professional and, as Karen says, “Make sure any decision you make for your child is well informed.”

Tips for healthy baby teeth

• The risk of decay is increased by settling your baby to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice or cordial- use water instead

• Try to avoid excessive the number of “grazing” or snacking episodes with sweet or refined carbohydrates (flour) or juices

• Don’t use fluoride toothpaste until after 18 months, then use child-strength until age six

• Have a dental check-up within six months of eruption of the first tooth

• Frozen bananas help teething

• Play the dentist with brushing kids’ teeth…stand or kneel behind a seated child and brush after using plaque disclosing dyes

For more tips visit www.kawanadental.com

Benefits of timely treatment

• Lower the risk of injury to protruded front teeth

• Correct harmful oral habits

• Improve self confidence

• Reduce appearance-consciousness during critical developmental years

• Simplify and shorten treatment time for full braces

• Reduce the likelihood of impacted permanent teeth

• Guide permanent teeth into more favourable positions

• Improve lip closure

• Preserve or gain space for erupting permanent teeth

Source: Ocean Orthodontics