Types of Braces for Kids

Many of us dream of having that enviable set of pearly whites. Some of us may have yellowing teeth whereas, others may have crooked and misaligned teeth. The best way of dealing with crooked and misaligned teeth is by going in for orthodontic treatment.

In this treatment, braces are attached to the teeth. These braces connect each tooth to the other with the help of wires. These wires are tightened so as to instigate tooth movement and bring the tooth into a desired position. This then results in proper arrangement of the teeth in an arch form.

There are certain things that need to kept in mind while deciding to get braces for your child. Firstly, not all kids need orthodontic treatment. There may be times when a kid's teeth may not be perfectly aligned, but this is only physiological. If your child is not around the age of twelve years and his canine teeth have not erupted, then it is best to wait for the canines to erupt.

This is because, when canines erupt, they tend to push the spaced out central and lateral incisors back into proper arch form. Thus, in such cases, the teeth may eventually get aligned on their own. However, if you happen to notice crowding in your child's lower arch of the mouth or if the problem of misaligned teeth persists, then there will be need for the child to get braces.

One of the most common options for braces for children is metal braces. These are regular braces that are recommended for most people due to the fact that they are the most affordable variety of braces. These are clearly visible in the oral cavity however, you can add some spunk and excitement to them by trying out a few variations.

Instead of getting the usual boring, dull, gray-green ligating modules (the rubber bands that attach the wires to the bracket), you can request your orthodontist to put in colorful ligatures, like, red, orange, or even fluorescent green! It will give you a reason to smile even with your braces on! You can truly show your wild side with the help of such colorful braces!

For those children, who are conscious about their looks, there are better options available. One such option is using brackets that are made of composite material and hence, being tooth-colored, blend in with the teeth, making them less noticeable than the usual metal braces. Another option is to go in for lingual braces.

These are regular metal varieties that are placed on the lingual, i.e., the inner surfaces of the teeth, rendering them invisible to the naked eye. One can also go in for invisalign braces, where straightening of teeth is done using clear removable plastic aligners, which are to be worn for certain fixed period before they are replaced with slightly tighter set of aligners.

There are many reasons why a person should opt for orthodontic treatment. Besides the obvious aesthetic part, if children have misaligned teeth, then there are higher chances of the child not being able to maintain his dental health. Thus, it is important for parents to get braces for their children during their growing years so that they have a healthy and smart set of pearly whites when they grow up!