If you wore braces as a teenager, then you probably won’t be surprised if your children need orthodontic care, too.
Teeth, like hair, height, and other features, are one of the many things influenced by genetics. If you had bad teeth, there’s a decent chance your kids will have alignment problems, too.
In some cases, the team at Beaumont Family Dentistry may be able to help earlier than your realize. Regardless, we offer a range of orthodontic options at our three dentist offices in Lexington.
If you live anywhere in Central Kentucky, we would be happy to talk to you about how we can help your children straighten their teeth.
Early Intervention
You’ve probably heard the saying “to nip something in the bud.” This means to take care of a problem when it is small and easier to handle.
Did you know this is possible with orthodontic issues? It’s called dentofacial orthopedics, or Phase I orthodontics.
This may not be possible in every case, but the only way to know is to bring your child for routine visits to our office. We will monitor how your son or daughter’s adult teeth as they erupt.
If we notice they are coming in incorrectly, we may be able to intervene to guide the teeth into the right position. In some cases, this can eliminate the need for Phase II orthodontic care or at least minimize the amount of orthodontic treatment that is needed.
Alignment Issues
Teeth may be misaligned in a number of ways. Those misalignments can range from mild to severe.
Your son or daughter’s teeth could come in crooked. Rather than emerging vertically and parallel to its neighbors a tooth may emerge at an angle.
Your child may have crowded teeth. Just as people have different sized hands and fingers, we have mouths of different sizes as well. If your child has a smaller mouth, his or her teeth may push into one another or turn sideways in order to fit.
Your child may have gaps between his or her teeth. This is known as diastema. It can occur between two teeth or your child may have multiple gaps in his or her smile.
Orthodontics also can be an effective way to treat bite issues.
Overbites are when the top row of teeth rest outside of the bottom row when someone closes his or her bite. An underbite occurs when the top row rests inside the bottom row.
A crossbite is when the top and bottom rows of teeth overlap one another. An open bite happens when a person’s top and bottom teeth don’t touch when they close their bite.
Phase II Orthodontics
If your child does need orthodontic treatment, you and your child will be happy to know that we offer a variety of options in our offices.
The type of treatment can vary depending on the severity of your child’s alignment issues and his or her personality.
• Invisalign can be a great option for someone who may be self-conscious about wearing braces. Instead of brackets and wires, Invisalign uses clear, plastic aligners.
When these are in place, most people will not notice them. Their transparency will give your son or daughter’s smile a more natural appearance.
Invisalign won’t work for the most severe cases, but patients who are eligible to use this treatment often can straighten their teeth in about a year. And if you come to our office, you should know that we are considered an Invisalign Premier Provider.
• Fastbraces® are more similar to traditional braces with one key difference. Fastbraces® have triangular brackets.
The unique shape of these brackets allows them to exert force in a different way. They can move your child’s crowns and roots at the same time. (Traditional braces move these parts of the teeth in separate stages.)
As a result, Fastbraces® may be able to complete your child’s treatment in less than half the time it would take with traditional braces.
• Traditional braces are always an option, and they will work on virtually any alignment problem.
These are available with the standard brackets and wires, but that isn’t the only option. We also offer ceramic braces, which more closely match the color of your child’s teeth.
Know Your Options
If it appears orthodontic care could be in your child’s future, schedule a consultation at any Beaumont Family Dentistry office. If you live anywhere in Central Kentucky, one of our Lexington dentist office is within driving distance.
Call the office closest to you or fill out an online form for that office to get started.