Ten Misunderstandings of Children's Orthodontics 2023 Edition

Parents often hear that "my child's deciduous teeth have not been replaced, and the correction cannot be started yet." At the same time, some parents hold the view that the earlier the correction, the better the effect, and put the braces on the child prematurely. In fact, these two ideas are actually wrong. If there is a bony tooth deformity, it must be prevented and corrected in time. With the cooperation of the child, it is true that the sooner the correction is the better, but in other cases, it depends on the actual situation.

Today, I will talk to you about the misunderstandings about orthodontics for babies.

Misconceptions ️1. The child can only be corrected after changing teeth?

It sounds reasonable at first glance, but in fact it is very one-sided. Different dental conditions cannot be generalized. Some deformed teeth are more suitable to be corrected after tooth replacement, while others are not at all. Generally speaking, for bad habits and developmental deformities, such as mouth breathing, ground cover, etc., which will affect the normal development of facial bones and oral function, the sooner they are corrected, the better.

Misunderstanding ️ 2. Irregular teeth are not a serious problem

Some parents feel that the child's teeth are not aligned, except for the appearance, it seems to have no major impact. In fact, this concept is wrong, and it is likely to delay the child's dental treatment. The harm of tooth deformity is not only reflected in the appearance, but mainly in the aspects of function, health and psychology. It affects the normal performance of children's oral functions, such as chewing function, pronunciation function and breathing function; affects the beauty of the face; affects the health of periodontal tissue and Oral hygiene can cause caries (tooth decay), calculus (tartar), gingivitis (bleeding gums), etc.; damage to the facial image will affect children's mental health, and seriously affect their evaluation and expectations of the future.

Misunderstanding ️3. Aligning the front teeth is to correct the teeth

Orthodontics is not only to align the front teeth, but more importantly, to establish a stable occlusal relationship between the upper and lower teeth, especially the rear teeth, and restore good oral chewing function. An important criterion for judging the quality of orthodontic treatment is the quality of the posterior occlusion.

Misunderstanding ️ 4. You can orthodontize your teeth without pulling them out

Tooth extraction is very common in orthodontic treatment. If there is crowding or misalignment of the teeth, tooth extraction is generally required in order to align the teeth. Tooth extraction can better provide the space needed for orthodontics to align the teeth.

Misunderstanding ️ 5. Orthodontics can only be done after changing teeth at the age of 12

This concept is actually one-sided and even harmful. The best period for orthodontic treatment is from 8 to 14 years old. Dental deformity is actually a developmental deformity, and it is best to prevent and correct it during growth and development. For teeth "covering the sky", small chin, facial asymmetry, severe buck teeth and serious tooth crowding, abnormal facial muscle function, all of which affect the normal development of facial bones and oral function, the sooner it is corrected, the better. good. In severe cases, corrective intervention can be started after the deciduous teeth are fully erupted.

Misunderstanding ️6. Just find a small clinic

Not every dentist can straighten teeth. Orthodontic treatment requires professional orthodontic doctors to make professional decisions after a comprehensive examination and analysis, so it is very important to choose a professional hospital and doctor.

Misunderstanding ️7. The shorter the correction time, the better

In fact, the amount of tooth movement is limited, generally 1.5 mm per month, and moving too fast will cause the teeth to loosen. Therefore, depending on the severity of the correction, the course of treatment is also different. Generally, it is about one to two years. Some doctors or patients do not follow scientific laws and apply too much correction force in order to shorten the time. As a result, the patient suffers from severe pain and loose teeth. Severe cases can cause the patient's orthodontic teeth to fall out.

Misunderstanding ️8. Imported aligners are better than domestic ones

The choice of imported or domestically made depends on the child’s condition. Parents can ask the orthodontist for advice. Although imported appliances are better than domestic appliances in terms of manufacturing process, they are designed according to the size of foreigners’ teeth, so choose the one that suits you. . The choice of appliances is important, but the doctor's level of diagnosis and treatment is the key to determining the quality of correction.