If your child has crooked teeth or a malpositioned bite, their risk of potentially serious oral health issues, like cavities and gum decay, increases. At Constant and Contro Orthodontics, the team of expert orthodontists uses children’s braces to help young people achieve beautiful and vibrant smiles. To make an appointment for your child at the practice in Cupertino or Palo Alto, California, call the nearest office today or click the online booking feature.
request an appointmentWhat are children’s braces?
Children’s braces are custom orthodontic appliances that correct the alignment of your child’s teeth and jaw. If your child’s jaw doesn’t close correctly, or they have crooked or crowded teeth, they’re also more likely to experience tooth decay, gum recession, and other potentially serious conditions.
What is children’s orthodontics?
Children’s orthodontics diagnoses, treats, and prevents alignment problems with your child’s teeth and jaw.
If your child’s teeth or jaw aren’t straight, it can negatively affect their oral health and increase the risk of potentially serious issues. Children’s orthodontics tries to correct those imbalances before they interfere with your child’s quality of life.
Orthodontics during childhood can correct these and other issues when they’re most responsive to treatment. What’s more, because your child’s jaw is still growing, these misalignments are easier to correct.
What are the types of children’s braces?
The team at Constant and Contro Orthodontics offers several types of children’s braces, including:
Conventional metal braces
Conventional metal braces are bonded to the front of your child’s teeth. They feature brackets, thin metal archwires, and rubber bands. During treatment, you visit the office every few weeks to monitor your child’s progress. At each appointment, their orthodontist adjusts their braces as necessary.
Clear (ceramic) braces
Ceramic braces feature ceramic brackets instead of metal ones. Ceramic is incredibly tough and durable, but it looks like natural tooth enamel, so the braces blend in with your child’s smile. Clear braces are especially popular with older tweens and teenagers.
Lingual braces
Lingual braces are bonded to the back of your child’s teeth instead of the front. Like conventional braces, they have metal brackets, archwires, and rubber bands. Lingual braces are completely invisible to others, but they require regular maintenance to keep them clean.
Is my child a candidate for braces?
Before the team at Constant and Contro Orthodontics recommends braces for your child, they conduct a comprehensive oral exam, review your child’s dental health history, and take a series of oral X-rays.
If the team uncovers one (or more) alignment issues that can benefit from braces, they develop a custom orthodontic care plan.
Do children’s braces need to be cleaned?
Yes. It’s easy for food particles and plaque to get stuck in your child’s braces, so it’s important to clean them daily.
The team at Constant and Contro Orthodontics recommends that your child brush their teeth after every meal and floss at least once a day. In addition, they should visit the dentist every six months for an oral exam and professional teeth cleaning.
To see if your son or daughter can benefit from children’s braces, make an appointment at Constant and Contro Orthodontics by calling the nearest office or clicking the online booking feature today.