FAQ

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends an orthodontic screening for children by the age of 7 years. At age 7, the teeth and jaws are developed enough so that the dentist or orthodontist can see if there will be any serious bite problems in the future. Most of the time treatment is not necessary at age 7, but it gives the parents and dentist time to watch the development of the patient and decide on the best mode of treatment. When you have time on your side you can plan ahead and prevent the formation of serious problems.

Research has shown that serious orthodontic problems can be more easily corrected when the patient's skeleton is still growing and flexible. By correcting the skeletal problems at a younger age, we can prepare the mouth for the eventual eruption of the permanent teeth. If the permanent teeth have adequate space to erupt, they will come in fairly straight. If the teeth erupt fairly straight, their tendency to get crooked again after braces come off is diminished significantly. After the permanent teeth have erupted, usually from age 12-14, complete braces are placed for final alignment and detailing of the bite. Thus the final stage of treatment is quicker and easier on the patient. This phase of treatment usually lasts from 12-18 months and is not started until all of the permanent teeth are erupted.

Doing orthodontic treatments in two steps provides excellent results often allowing the doctor to avoid removal of permanent teeth and jaw surgery. The treatment done when some of the baby teeth are still present is called Phase-1. The last part of treatment after all the permanent teeth have erupted is called Phase-2.

Crowded teeth, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, premature loss of baby teeth, or a poor breathing airway caused by enlarged adenoids or tonsils can all contribute to poor tooth positioning. And then there are the hereditary factors. Extra teeth, large teeth, missing teeth, wide spacing, and small jaws - all can be causes of crowded teeth.

Braces technology has drastically changed over the years. Depending on the specific type of braces you have, the food restrictions vary. In general, you should avoid foods that are sticky, chewy, or hard. The following foods are examples of some of (but not all) the foods that you should avoid while wearing braces:

• Sticky candy/gum
• Nuts
• Popcorn
• Ice
• Corn chips or taco shells

You can minimize the risk of damaging your braces while eating certain hard foods by avoiding biting into them with your front teeth. Cutting up fruit or meat, for example, and biting with your rear teeth would put less strain on your braces. For more specific questions pertaining to foods in your diet, contact your Longview orthodontist, Dr. Lauren Cai.

Tooth movement is a natural response to light pressure over a period of time. Pressure is applied by using a variety of orthodontic hardware (appliances), the most common being a brace or bracket attached to the teeth and connected by an archwire. Periodic changing of these archwires puts pressure on the teeth. At different stages of treatment, your child may wear a headgear, elastics, a positioner or a retainer. Most orthodontic appointments are scheduled 4 to 6 weeks apart to give the teeth time to move.

When teeth are first moved, discomfort may result. This usually lasts about 24 to 72 hours. Patients report a lessening of pain as the treatment progresses. Pain medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) usually help relieve the pain.