Orthodontics

Orthodontic Treatment (Bracing) is technique of curing abnormalities of occlusion, growth of jaw bone. The main purpose is to have good occlusion in order to chew food very well and to be easy-cleaning. The outgrowth is good tooth bracing and better profile which make patients look better, have self-confidence in social work and develop good personality.

The right age of patients to have bracing will depend on feature and degree of abnormality of occlusion and the growth of jaw bone. Mostly bracing treatment will start since milk teeth disappear or when patients are about 11-15 years. Bracing in children will give better result than in adults. In case there is severe abnormality of jaw bone growth, tooth bracing may begin before disappearance of milk teeth. If it is later than this, operation will be the way-out.

The good point of tooth bracing based on the right age of patients ㋡

Less duration of treatment.
Less payment of treatment.
Effective correction of abnormality, more chance in succeeding.
Stimulating the growth of jaw bone appropriately and proportionally. This will minimize treatment by operation or have no any operation.
Reducing painfulness from bracing.
Reducing relapse after bracing because of stabilized occlusion.

Q & A

Q: How old is the person who can have bracing treatment?

A : Usually, dentists will offer treatment to those who are free of milk teeth or about 12 years old, except in abnormal case, dentists will treat those patients earlier than usual.

Q: What should to be done under bracing treatment?

A :

Patients should go to see a dentist on schedule of appointment (usually, an appointment is done every 2- 6 week.)
Receiving dental health examination and tooth scaling or polishing including Fluoride treatment to help teeth build resistance to decay every six month.
Brushing teeth after every meal and before going to bed and using dental floss and inter-proximal brush to clean inaccessible spaces.
Refrain from desserts and soft drink to build resistance to decay, to refrain from eating sticky, solid or crispy food that will cause dental appliance fall off or avoiding chewing gum that will cause the appliance get stuck and it is hard to clean.

Q: Can children under the age of 10 years receive bracing treatment?

A : Yes, they can. But in some necessary cases only; patients with abnormality in jawbone growth, swallowing, finger sucking, nail bite or other regular bite, breathing through mouth. This will cause patients to receive bracing treatment with removable appliance first and then, bracing with fixed appliance.

When children are 7-8 years old, they should receive screening examination to make sure if there is something wrong in occlusion or development of occlusion will cause something wrong in occlusion. That is the reason why children need to have dental health examination every six month since the first tooth emerged.

Children with normal development of occlusion will be advised to have pediatric dentists or general dentists to take care of. For children with abnormal occlusion, they have to undertake interceptive orthodontic treatment in order to prevent them from abnormal occlusion.

Q: How can we know if children need orthodontic treatment? When should they start?

A : It depends on individual condition. They should go to see a dentist to have dental health examination every six month. A dentist will suggest them to see orthodontic dentist whenever appropriate.