Does My Child Need an Orthodontic Appliance?
Orthodontic appliances mainly treat developmental concerns, particularly in young children. That’s why we
recommend that all children be brought to our office at age 7. At this point, we can determine various needs and
potentially offer several options for treatment to customize each smile before they are done
developing.
Retainer
Retainers are essential following braces treatment for both kids and adults. Retainers hold the teeth in their
new positions and stop them from drifting back, which is called relapse. A retainer can be either fixed or
removeable and plays an important role in protecting your investment.
Space Maintainer
If their permanent teeth haven’t grown in yet, we can still tell whether your child will experience
significant orthodontic issues. To make room for these teeth, we use space maintainers, which can be removable
or fixed, to allow permanent teeth to erupt properly, potentially decreasing the time your child needs braces
later on.
Herbst Appliance
For an overbite, this appliance works well for younger children whose jaw bones are still growing. A Herbst
appliance creates healthier bite alignment by simultaneously shifting the lower jaw forward and the upper molars
backward, allowing the rest of the upper jaw to be moved into proper alignment.
Twin Block Appliance
This treatment actually consists of two appliances, one for each arch of teeth. When your child bites, the
appliances are like puzzle pieces and retrain their jaw muscles to hold the lower jaw in a more forward
position. Even though these appliances can be removed for easy cleaning, they should be worn full-time.
Palatal Expander
Before reaching skeletal maturity, your child’s oral cavity is relatively easy to manipulate. If their
palate is too small or narrow, their teeth will become crowded in their mouth. A palatal expander opens up the
palate by pressing on both sides of the arch, giving teeth ample space.
Spacer or Separators
For some orthodontic appliances, metal bands that attach the appliance into place surround an individual tooth
(most of the time a molar). In many cases, we need a tiny bit of room for the metal band. We accomplish this by
placing small rubber donuts, called spacers or separators, in between the molars.
Carriere Appliance
Although realigning front teeth is relatively simple, changes to molars can be more difficult. Before this
appliance, treatment required bulky headgear. Now, we utilize the Carriere appliance to correctly align and
preserve back teeth. Not only is this treatment effective, but it is also more subtle!
Tongue Crib
When other methods of discouraging thumb sucking fail, a tongue crib can help your child stop this bad habit.
The metal grate attaches near the front of the mouth on the upper palate, preventing suction. It also makes
their tongue rest on the mouth floor, where it should be. This helps their oral development.
Bionator
A bionator is another option for young children with an overbite. This appliance encourages the growth of the
jawbone and can also widen the upper palate, meaning it should be used early on in orthodontic treatment.
Bite Plate
Before we start traditional orthodontic treatment, we can use a bite plate when the upper teeth overlap the
lower teeth. This appliance blocks the back teeth from touching, which means that the front teeth must chew,
rather than the molars.
