Why should I be concerned about my child’s bite?

A bad bite can be detrimental to the future of your child’s mouth.  Dental restorations, such as crowns or bridges, are often impossible for a dentist to perform without prior repositioning of the teeth. Properly aligned and supported teeth are healthier, easier to clean and therefore may be more likely to last throughout a patient’s lifetime.

What causes crooked teeth?

Crowded teeth, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, premature loss of baby teeth, and an obstructed airway caused by enlarged adenoids or tonsils can all contribute to poor tooth positioning. In addition, there are the hereditary factors such as extra teeth, large teeth, missing teeth, spacing, and/or small jaws.  All of these can cause problems.

What part does heredity play?

Heredity is a complicated combination of factors primarily affecting the skeletal relationship more than the teeth. Have Dr. Litt evaluate your child’s bite and proceed from there.

At what age should someone see an orthodontist?

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends seven years of age as a good time for your child’s first orthodontic examination. At this early age conditions may be found that can be corrected by interceptive measures. This often will lessen or eliminate the need for help at an older age.  Please don’t wait until your child has lost all of his or her baby teeth. There are definite advantages to correcting many problems at an early age. Waiting until all baby teeth are lost can often complicate an otherwise fairly simple problem. Let your orthodontist decide the best time to intercept or correct your child’s orthodontic problem.

What is an orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dental specialist who has successfully completed at least two academic years of continuous advanced studies in an orthodontic program of a dental school or institution approved by the American Dental Association. This advanced training includes such diverse studies as physics, embryology, genetics, human growth and development, biophysics and engineering. Only those dentists with this advanced education can announce that they are orthodontistic specialists.

How do orthodontists straighten teeth?

Tooth movement is actually a normal response to light, continuous and controlled pressure. Pressure is applied by using a variety of orthodontic appliances, the most common being a bracket attached to the teeth and connected to an archwire. Periodic changing of these archwires puts pressure on the teeth.  At different stages of treatment your child may wear a headgear, brackets, wires, elastics, a positioner or a retainer.

How long will treatment take?

Orthodontic correction can vary from the comparatively simple closing of spaces in a few months, to the complex realignment of unsightly and poorly functioning teeth. In the young child or the adolescent, treatment is as much a matter of timing and guidance as anything else. The normal treatment time varies from eighteen months to three years, depending on the complexity of the problem. The average time needed for comprehensive treatment is 20-24 months.

Will it hurt?

Mild discomfort may result when we begin to apply orthodontic forces. This usually lasts about 24 to 48 hours and then disappears.  Each succeeding adjustment will mean some minor discomfort, although our patients report it decreases as the treatment progresses.

Will I look funny?

Not necessarily. Minor corrections can be accomplished with appliances nearly completely concealed within the mouth. More involved treatment may require braces on the teeth to successfully move them to the desired positions.  Braces are the handles used to move your teeth. They vary from the conventional steel bands cemented around the back teeth to less obvious brackets bonded to the outer surfaces of the remaining teeth.  In all cases, regardless of the braces used on your teeth, the active part of your braces is the wire that goes from tooth to tooth.

It is not uncommon to observe half of the children in a school class having some sort of braces. Many kids consider braces "neat" and the "in" thing. Adult treatment includes the options of tooth-colored ceramic or crystal appliances as well as removable "invisible" appliances in certain cases.

Do I have a choice of colors to go with my braces?

With coordinating force modules now available in a rainbow of colors from blue to nearly invisible, today’s braces are not just functional. You will be able to pick any color or combination of colors to match your favorite style of fashion.

What about extracurricular activities?

We heartily encourage your child to pursue extracurricular interests. Athletics can be a regular part of this routine. Certain musical instruments can actually be helpful during treatment (while others may need to be avoided). Speech may at first be somewhat affected, but only for a day or two. We tell our patients that orthodontics is a normal part of this phase in their lives and that treatment should not preclude any activities they usually pursue within their school’s programs.

How often will I need office visits?

Appointments can be scheduled from four to eight week intervals, or even longer, depending on the stage of treatment. In the initial stage, the appointments are more frequent. Once the appliances (braces) are in place, appointments are scheduled at longer intervals. For children, every effort will be made to schedule appointments after school hours, but many times your child's appointment will occur during school hours. School authorities are usually understanding.

How much will it cost?

Do not assume your treatment will cost the same as someone else’s.  Because no two problems are the same, treatment plans and accompanying costs will vary among patients. Those factors affecting the simplicity or complexity of your problem will be explained in detail by Dr. Litt.  All offices offer reasonable payment plans, conveniently spread over the estimated treatment period.

Will my dental insurance pay for it?

Today many dental policies include orthodontic benefits. For questions concerning eligibility we will need your insurance information. Some companies require submission of a diagnosis and treatment plan as well as a suggested payment schedule by your orthodontist before treatment begins. The percentage of reimbursement to you varies from plan to plan.

Will the improvement be permanent?

The combined experience of orthodontists across the country points to a 90% permanent improvement rate. Teeth, like all parts of the body, are constantly changing and adapting. Where growth guidance is accomplished, the results are usually permanent. Jaw relationships affecting facial contours can be expected to remain for life. However, there are certain types of facial patterns that continue to change even past adolescence. (Should this be the case with your child, of course, it will be discussed thoroughly with you so you will be made aware of any detrimental growth factors.) Conscientious retainer wear following treatment will minimize minor movement or relapse. However, every orthodontic patient will experience long-term continuous change once retention is discontinued.

As effective as modern orthodontic treatment is, it cannot stop the normal process of aging and maturation. These processes affect the mouth and teeth of everyone. The 15 year-old with perfect teeth and an untreated, naturally ideal bite will undergo facial and dental changes that include crowding, deepening of the bite and some malalignment of the teeth. These changes may be severe enough to require orthodontic treatment at age 25 or 30. Therefore, one should not assume that the same changes would not occur in an orthodontically treated patient over the same time period.