If you have a young child with crooked teeth, then you may want to look into braces as soon as possible. However, this may not always be advised before the wisdom teeth come in. Keep reading to learn if this is an issue and to find out about the types of orthodontic treatments that can be completed while your child waits for their wisdom teeth.
Can Braces Be Used?
Braces can often be placed on the teeth if your child has a large or wide mouth. In this situation, the teeth have more than enough room to move and the wisdom teeth also have space to emerge into the mouth. Basically, if the teeth are crooked, but not crowded, then braces can likely be placed early on.
If your child's mouth is crowded, then the orthodontist will likely wait until the wisdom teeth come in beforehand. If the braces are secured before the wisdom teeth, then the third molars are likely to push the teeth forward and produce more crowding. This will basically undo any of the straightening that has already been completed.
Also, if the wisdom teeth need to be removed to make space, then the orthodontist will also need to evaluate whether several other teeth need to be removed. This evaluation is best made once all the teeth are in the mouth at the same time. In some cases, all of the extractions can be completed at once too, to reduce the stress to your child.
What Orthodontic Implements Can Be Secured?
While braces likely should not be secured before the wisdom teeth come in, there are certain type of implements that can be secured instead. One of the most common is called a space saver. This helps to keep the teeth in position so they are not shifted a large amount when the wisdom teeth emerge. A space saver device consists of a long and thick wire that attaches to brackets and sits along the inside arch of the teeth. This is something that is most often used to retain the position of the lower dental arch.
Small rubber bands may be placed in between the teeth to keep them from squeezing against one another and sometimes hooks and headgear are used to forced the upper dental arch backward. This is an option used to force an overbite backwards.
If you want to know about the wisdom teeth, braces, and how your child's dental straightening can progress, speak with your orthodontist. For more information about orthodontic care, contact a business like Chikes Orthodontics.
Share
