Why braces in St. John’s Wood are ideal for children
Ever heard the expression, “the longer you leave it, the worse it gets”? Well this is definitely the case with malocclusions and crooked teeth. Childhood is the time when the skull is still growing and the bones are still relatively soft, making it easier to fix any problems that may become a concern in the future. We at Aura Dental know and understand this and can advise any parent that brings their child in for a check-up whether or not they will need braces in St. John’s Wood to avoid any future problems, thus giving your child the best opportunity for good oral health in the future.
Problems seen in the pre-teen years
We don’t need to wait until the skull has stopped growing to see what problems may come up in terms of malocclusion or crooked teeth. Once a child has lost all their baby teeth it is easy for our dentists and orthodontic specialists to determine how the mouth will develop over time with the use of expert knowledge, X-rays and even 3D digital technologies. By the stage of about 7-9 years old, it will be clear if your child will develop any problems with their bite. Overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites can all be fixed with braces in St. John’s Wood, by gently pulling the jaw into place over time and guiding the teeth to grow into their proper positions.
Malocclusions (which are misalignments in the bite) are often hereditary, which means that they are caused by your child’s genetic makeup, but they are completely fixable, especially in childhood. However, sometimes they can be formed by habits in a child’s toddler years, like sucking on a pacifier after the age of 3, extended bottle feeding and thumb sucking, which can all cause the shape of the jaw and pallet to grow incorrectly.
How braces work
A bracket is secured to the front of each tooth with a special dental glue, then a wire is fed through all the brackets and tension is applied to that wire with varying degrees over time. This tension guides the teeth to grow in their proper positions and as the jawbone grows and hardens over time, it secures the correctly aligned teeth.
When it comes to jaw position, elastics of different tensions that are secured to the brackets on the top teeth are linked to the brackets of the bottom teeth and they pull the jaw ever so slightly to encourage it to grow in the correct way thus fixing any future bite issues.
Usually, patients with braces need to visit their dentist every month or so to allow them to make adjustments to the tension settings, as the teeth and jaw shifts over time.
Why they benefit children
How many times has your child come home having lost a piece of school uniform, or has asked you to buy them their 5th eraser for the year? The benefit of braces in St. John’s Wood is that they are permanent and fixed to the teeth, they cannot be taken out and lost, making your investment in their oral health secure for the full length of time that the treatment takes place.