#3 GETTING IN EARLY
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children have their first orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven. DR CATHERINE LEE agrees, proposing that the initial assessment be done between the ages of about five and seven – and pointing out that by no means all children require treatment. Problems often run in families, so if you needed orthodontic work, it’s more likely that your children will, too. The good news is that major orthodontic work can often be avoided, or at least minimised, by treatment at an early age, before the jaw has fully developed.
For children, she identifies two phases of orthodontic care:
Phase I – 5-to-10-year-olds
The idea during this phase is to catch potential problems in their early stages. By monitoring and modifying jaw growth with early interceptive care, you’re taking advantage of a child’s natural development in order to improve his or her smile, facial shape and even profile. Early intervention reduces the need to remove good, permanent teeth during Phase II, the teenage years, and brings down the overall cost.
Phase II – Teenagers
The purpose of corrective braces is not merely to straighten the teeth – which may be relatively easy to do – but also to achieve a good, functional occlusion, or “bite”. Repositioning bones, jaw and teeth will improve facial balance and help ensure your teeth last a lifetime.
Smile! Wearing braces should be a happy experience, Dr Lee believes, and they don’t need to hurt in order to work properly. You can choose between silver, tooth-coloured or clear braces, and even accessorise them with any of dozens of vibrant colours if that’s what you’d like to do. And now, with Invisalign Teen, it may be possible to avoid traditional braces altogether, depending of course on the individual case.
Keep Them Straight
It would be a great pity not to maintain the great smile you’ve achieved – not to mention a waste of time, effort and money. That’s why you need retainers after your “active” orthodontic treatment. Clear, thin, slightly flexible and made of plastic, these are made to fit your teeth exactly and are either fixed or removable. You’ll probably be advised to wear them full-time for the first six to 12 months; after that, only at night.
Keep Them In!
Whether or not you’ve had corrective orthodontic treatment, a mouthguard is highly recommended, especially for sporty types. You can buy them over the counter, but a customised mouthguard made specially for you by an orthodontist will give you by far the best protection from sports-related tooth loss and other trauma.