WHO NEEDS ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT(BRACES): THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HAVING 

  1. PROTRUDED TEETH (FORWARDLY PLACED UPPER/LOWER TEETH)
  2. PROBLEMS WITH JAW MOVEMENTS
  3. DISCRIMINATION DUE TO FACIAL APPEARANCE
  4. PROBLEMS WITH CHEWING
  5. GREATER SUSCEPTIBILITY TO TRAUMA TO TEETH

APPROPRIATE AGE FOR BRACES TREATMENT:

  • AN INDIVIDUAL CAN GO BRACES TREATMENT AT ANY AGE DEPENDING UPON THE TEETH AND GUM CONDITION BUT TREATMENT RESPONSE IS FASTER IN EARLY AGE BEFORE 15-20 YEARS OF AGE WHEN THE JAW GROWTH IS STILL CONTINUING. FEMALES ATTAINS  MATURITY EARLIER WITH  DIFFERENCE OF 2-4 YEARS THAN MALES SO EARLIER TREATMENT IN FEMALES AS COMPARED TO MALES AT THE TIME OF PUBERTY CAN  BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
  • IDEAL TREATMENT TIME FOR FEMALES AND MALES FOR IRREGULAR OR SPACED TEETH IS ONCE ALL THE PERMANANT TEETH ERUPTS COMPLETELY IN TO THE ORAL CAVITY (EXCEPT WISDOM TEETH). THE ERUPTION OF PERMANENT TEETH COMPLETES BY 12- 14 YEARS AFTER WHICH PATIENT CAN HAVE BRACES.
  • AN ADULT CAN ALSO HAVE BRACES TREATMENT BUT THE RESPONSE WILL BE SLOWER AS COMPARED TO YOUNG ADULTS. RESPONSE REDUCES AS THE AGE INCREASES DUE TO SLOW BONE REMODELL ING. 
  • THERE ARE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES OF ENHANCING TOOTH MOVEMENTS BUT THOSE TECHNIQUES ARE EXPENSIVE AND INVASIVE.
NO AGE LIMIT FOR BRACES

BRACES IN CHILDREN???

  • A CHILD IS BEGIN TO HAVE HIS MILK TEETH AT THE AGE OF 6 MONTHS WHICH CONTINUES TILL 3 YEARS AFTER WHICH IT BEGINS TO SHRED FROM THE AGE OF 6-7 YEARS AND CONTINUES UPTO 12 YEARS. DURING THIS PERIOD CHILD DO NOT NEED ANY BRACES TREATMENT( EXCEPT VERY FEW CONDITIONS). 
  • BUT DURING THIS PERIOD ONE CAN MODIFY GUIDE DEVELOPMENT OF JAWS WHICH EVENTUALLY LEADS TO FORMATION OF BOTH UPPER AND LOWER JAWS IN NORMAL POSITIONING
  • DURING THIS PERIOD CHILDREN MAY NEED SOME REMOVABLE APPLIANCES CALLED AS MYOFUNCTIONAL APPLIANCES FOR JAW GROWTH MODIFICATION. 
  • IN MOST OF THE CASES, IRREGULAR TEETH ARE TREATED ONCE THEY ERUPT INTO THE CAVITY. IN SOME  OF THE CASES, THERE MAY NECESSITY OF REMOVAL OF MILK TEETH FOR PROPER GUIDANCE FOR THE ERUPTION OF PERMANENT TEETH.
  •  CHILDREN DO HAVE LOWER JAW BACKWARDLY PLACED AS COMPARED TO UPPER JAW AS UPPER JAW COMPLETES ITS GROWTH EARLIER THAN LOWER JAW. MOST OF THE CASES, LOWER JAW GROWTH CATHCES WITH GROWTH OF UPPER JAW. BUT IN SOME CASES, WHERE LOWER JAW IS POSITIONED MORE  BACKWARDLY , PATIENT MAY NEED GROWTH MODIFICATION WITH THE HELP OF REMOVABLE APPLIANCES

IN VERY RARE CASES, UPPER JAW POSITIONED BACKWARD AS COMPARED TO LOWER JAW. THIS CONDITION IS BIT OF CONCERN AS CHILD NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO SUCH JAW DEFORMITIES AND AS EARLY AS 7-10 YEARS.

REMOVABLE APPLIANCES

SUMMARY:

  • ONE CAN HAVE BRACES AT ANY AGE BUT IT IS ALWAYS BETTER HAVE IT EARLIER.
  • A CHILD DOES NOT NEED ANY BRACES TILL 12 YEARS OF AGE EXCEPT FEW CONDITIONS
  • REMOVABLE APPLIANCES IS REQUIRED IN CHILDREN WITH JAW DEFORMITIES