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Often when parents bring young children into our office for initial evaluation, they are missing several primary teeth. Parents are worried that starting treatment won’t be an option until all the permanent teeth have grown in, or until all baby teeth have fallen out. It’s common to wonder if your child is losing teeth at the right time, or too slowly, or even too quickly. These concerns are normal, and a reason why it’s good to get your child into the orthodontist starting at age seven. Orthodontist Dr. Amir Davoody at Davoody and Hablinski Orthodontics can answer all these questions and more and can start any treatment needed early enough to prevent major issues. 

 

When Should Your Child Start to Lose Teeth?

Most children lose their first baby tooth, or primary tooth, around age 6. This is typically the bottom front tooth. The rest of the primary teeth usually follow suit, with the last one falling out around age 12. By age 21, all 32 of the primary teeth should have been replaced by permanent teeth.

The first permanent molars, or adult teeth, arrive around age 6 as well. The rest of the permanent teeth come in gradually over the next several years. The last of the permanent teeth, the third molars, or wisdom teeth, usually arrive around age 18.

While the process of losing primary teeth and getting permanent teeth is relatively straightforward, there can be some variation in when exactly each tooth is lost or erupted. Every child is different, so if you have any concerns about your child’s teeth, be sure to talk to your dentist.

 

Early Treatment Orthodontics

Early treatment orthodontics refers to the practice of correcting dental and skeletal irregularities at an early age. It is well-documented that bones and teeth are more malleable during childhood, making this an ideal time to correct any problems. Early treatment can also help to improve the aesthetics of the smile and ensure that the teeth are properly aligned. In some cases, early treatment can also help to prevent future dental problems, such as gum disease and tooth decay. While early treatment is not right for every patient, it can offer significant benefits for those who are candidates.As we’ve mentioned above, it’s best to get your child in to see the orthodontist around age seven.

 

The Science of Tooth Movement

When you begin orthodontic treatment, your teeth will start to slowly move into the desired position. This process can sometimes take months or even years, depending on the severity of your dental problem. Teeth move very slowly. While this isn’t exactly what you want to hear when you’re self-conscious about your smile, slow movement is the best and healthiest way to perfect your bite. Tooth movement is a combination between bone cells called osteoclasts breaking down bone matter in the direction the tooth is set to move in and osteoblasts filling in bone matter behind the tooth as it moves. It is important to be patient during this treatment process, as rushing it can result in uneven or even damaged teeth. Trust your orthodontist to know when your teeth are ready to be moved, and be patient as your smile slowly becomes perfect.The teeth ideally should move about a millimeter a month during treatment. This seems like a small distance, but it is the best place to maintain health. 

So, combining the information about the benefits of early orthodontic treatment and the anatomy and physiology of tooth movement is how your orthodontist is best able to adjust your bite. If you are missing teeth when treatment begins, or loose teeth during treatment, your orthodontist is an expert on timing the movement of your mouth to adjust for the new spaces tooth loss creates.

“How long do braces take?” is the most common question we’re asked by patients. People want to know how long they’ll have to make room in their life for their braces – it’s understandable. Braces are hard to brush and floss around, they come with food restrictions, and they can be a source of embarrassment for teens at school or professionals in the workplace. 

Even our patients who are most excited to begin treatment inevitably cannot wait for it to end. We give each patient and their family an estimated treatment plan and timetable when they receive an evaluation. Of course, they always hope that we can somehow speed up time and make their smiles perfect as quickly as possible.

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It’s scary to be at home, school, or sports practice and feel a part of your braces loosen or even fall completely off your tooth, but it’s a more common occurrence than you may think.. The good news is that most of these incidents are actually minor and easily fixed by your orthodontist. Here are a few general rules and tips for how to handle these situations in the moment and until you can get into the office for a visit. 

 

Orthodontic Emergencies

Typically, braces emergencies arise when a wire or rubber band falls out of place. These issues are minor and can be easily fixed by your orthodontist. A less common emergency is when a bracket comes loose and falls out. If you can feel a loose bracket that hasn’t fallen out, it’s best to leave it held in by the surrounding wires and call your orthodontist. But, if the bracket has fallen out already, keep it in a safe space and take it with you to the orthodontist. Schedule an appointment as soon as you can to fix this! 

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Flossing can sometimes get forgotten or skipped in a nightly oral hygiene routine. But, flossing is actually essential to maintaining oral health, especially throughout orthodontic treatment. Before we get into how to become an expert braces flosser, here’s some more information about why flossing is so critical in the first place. 

 

Flossing is just as important as brushing your teeth to prevent gum disease, cavities, and bad breath. It helps eliminate the accumulation of harmful bacteria and plaque resulting from food particles that get trapped between the teeth and under the gum line. These places are hard for a toothbrush to clean, and with braces or appliances, it’s even harder to make sure your mouth is as clean as it should be!

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Young children often put anything and everything in their mouths. Unless it develops into bad habits that carry into later childhood, this curiosity is beneficial. Long-term oral health can be negatively affected by habits like nail-biting, thumb sucking, excessive use of pacifiers, and tongue thrusting as you swallow. 

 

Nail Biting

Biting your nails is bad for your general and oral health because you’re introducing bacteria and dirt into your mouth. The germs and grime you ingest while biting your nails can cause illness and the consistent biting is hard on your enamel.  While it certainly isn’t a good habit to keep up because of the dirt and germs residing under your nails, there are many more negative effects. 

Chewing your nails results in unnecessary wear on your teeth. It weakens the enamel and can even lead to chipping or the teeth becoming crooked. When you have braces, chewing your nails slows down orthodontic treatment. In addition to weakening the roots and making the teeth susceptible to movement, biting your nails can also displace brackets and wires. This makes your braces less effective and can result in more appointments to fix appliances or brackets. 

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One of our most common questions from patients is “What can I eat with my braces?” or “What foods do I have to give up?” and we have a few simple guidelines to share. Getting braces is a big change, and on top of the wires, brackets, or Invisalign trays, there’s a whole new set of habits you must get used to. Luckily, we’re here to help and answer any questions you may have during treatment! If you keep these in mind, your smile and diet will be happy and healthy!

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Often the first step of orthodontic treatment is an expander. Expanders, or palatal expanders, are orthodontic appliances that increase the space between the halves of the upper jaw. While that sounds scary and painful, expanders are very common! Many young and growing orthodontic patients have expanders, and they can help make sure you don’t have to undergo surgery later!

 

Why Would You Need an Expander?

Sometimes in early orthodontic treatment, there are things an orthodontist can see that a parent can’t. An expert orthodontist can “look into the future” and predict common bite issues when your child first comes in for a visit. Expanders for teeth that show a risk of developing bite problems are common first steps of treatment. Because of this, devices like expanders can be used to mitigate those issues and make sure they never occur at all. Expanders create space for new teeth or space for teeth to move into as braces do their job. Expanders prepare the mouth for braces or other treatments. 

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What is gum disease? 

Our mouths are full of bacteria. These bacteria help to form plaque on our teeth. Brushing and flossing help to get rid of plaque. The plaque that is not removed by these practices hardens and forms “tartar” that brushing doesn’t clean. This tartar can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist. 

Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. The culprit for this disease is usually poor brushing and flossing habits. These poor habits allow plaque – a sticky film of bacteria – to build up on the teeth and harden. If the disease worsens, it can lead to sore, bleeding gums, painful chewing problems, and even tooth loss.

There are risk factors for gum disease, but smoking is the most significant. Other risk factors include hormonal changes in women, diabetes, and medications that lessen the flow of saliva.

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