What you NEED to know BEFORE your child gets braces.
Orthodontist are amazing specialists but often times are more focused on the end game of the alignment and occlusion. Here is what they may not mention and what you NEED to be focused on before you commit.
Most children start braces when all of their baby teeth have fallen out. Some kids are the ”lucky” ones and have to start with expansion or even multiple phases of braces prior to getting to their final destination.
Oral hygiene in braces is on par with the same level of responsibility as getting your 1st puppy
Braces are an extremely important time for your child’s dental hygiene. Between the amount of metal in the mouth and the already insufficient amount of times kids spend on their dental home care can lead to a less then stellar end result. I compare the responsibility to that of getting their first pet because it is not only daily work but it has to be done for a long time and become a habit. Otherwise there could be detrimental results. I think every parent needs to judge their child’s maturity level before entering into braces. For some kids waiting until they are emotionally and mentally ready to handle the day to day commitment of braces could save years of complaints and tears.
Why Hygiene is the MOST important part of braces
With all the metal now that has now donned your child’s mouth it is of the utmost importacne that your child learn good hygiene habits throughout this endeavor. Plaque and food debris get caught up around the brackets and stuck under the wires that you child is now at their highest risk of getting hidden cavities. Many times parent think that because a child is seeing their orthodontist on such a regular basis that they no longer need to go to dental cleaning appointments assuming they are getting taken care of by a orthodontist office. Unfortunately that is not the case and those missed appointments could be the difference between a mouth full of cavities and catching poor habits before they become issues. As food and plaque sit on the tooth around the brackets they start to eat their way through the enamel in a process call “decalcification”, this process ends up with a permanent white ring on the tooth where the bracket sits. This white ring cannot be removed once the braces are and often times permanent and unsightly.
Hygiene Helpers for the Braces
Some of the greatest tools & habits to help with braces I recommend to all patients are:
- have your child stay on a shortened recall with their dental cleanings during the ENTIRE braces process so your hygienist can you up for success with cleaning tips and catch any sign of decay in the early stages. (Having wires removed prior to dental cleanings can be a huge help if your orthodontist is in close proximity of your dental office and they will be placed back on after the dental cleaning). I see my patients every 3-4mths while in braces. A lot of times this is an out of pocket cost as insurances usually cover 2 cleanings a year but the cost is usually under $100 per cleaning and is definitely worth it. I am very honest with parents, kiddos, take multiple pictures and some teens dont even have to alter their routines as they do stellar jobs on their own.
- Platypus Ortho flossers are a must have for flossing with metal braces. There is not flossing tool around that will be used if it takes more then a few seconds. The ortho flossers are not only convenient but being flat on one side allow them to easily slip under the wires without the frustration of threading floss.
Ortho flossers have a flat side to go directly underneath wires.
- Waterpik with orthodontic head can help flush out inflamed gum tissue and help resolve those bleeding gums.
- OTC fluoride rinses can also help counteract the day to day gunk causes to the teeth.
- Last but very important is an ortho electric toothbrush. Oral B electric toothbrushes have a circular round head with an indented brush in the center to be able to access both the bracket and the tooth. I love the new Oral B IO Series, highly recommend downloading the app for Oral B as it monitors brushing habits and can tell you where you are brushing and where you are missing.
Braces can change the direction of a person’s life, not only for their dentition but also how they feel and perceive themself when they look in the mirror. More often times then not the end result is amazing but there are a lot of patients I see late in the game that I wish if I had seen a year prior we could change the current outcome. The last thing a parent wants after spending thousands of dollars on straight teeth is to have ”straight ugly teeth” due to decalcifcation and poor hygiene. With a little education and a lot of daily involvement you can have a lifetime of big smiles and straight teeth.
Picture on Left is decalcification rings after brackets are removed. this is caused by poor oral hygiene during braces. These white spots are permanent and are very preventable with proper oral hygiene.
