Hughes Family Dental
715-421-1114
cmkinzel@charterinternet.com
Dental Conditions
Braces
Isn't an eight-year-old a little young for braces?
Not really. Some conditions, such as an excessive overbite or underbite, are far more easily treated in the growing child. There are two kinds of devices used to re-position or hold the position of teeth, braces and functional dental appliances. Braces are usually cemented directly to all of the upper or lower tooth surfaces, and then connected by a stainless steel wire.
Functional appliances are usually applied to fewer teeth, often to correct misalignment or an over/underbite, or to hold the space created when a tooth is lost or extracted. These devices may be fixed in the mouth and worn for extended periods, or they may be removable and worn only for short periods. By applying a functional appliance to an eight-year-old's protruding upper front teeth, which are very susceptible to injury, an orthodontist can more easily move them back into a less vulnerable, more attractive position. If you wait until your child is older, this is a more difficult task.
Will the gap between by child's teeth close on its own?
If your child is under 10 years old, the normal growth of their permanent teeth will occasionally push the upper front teeth back together. Have your dentist x-ray these teeth to determine if the gap will close on its own.