Dr. Sunita More

Crooked teeth pull down a child's morale in a big way. It not just impacts their chewing and looks, but also makes oral hygiene practices difficult for the child and the parent. Orthodontic treatment, which may involve removing a couple of teeth and realigning the other teeth is very popular to correctly align these teeth.

The entire process of this treatment starting from initial visits to diagnosis to completing treatment to follow-up is a prolonged one. While the time with the dentist is quite significant, the time for the child to adjust to the braces and come to terms with the new 'thing' in their mouth is also quite taxing.

This requirement of time followed by need of adjustment time makes summer the ideal time to get braces for the children. Read on to understand a little more on the same:

1. Time/Scheduling: The summer holidays gives children enough time to make the numerous visits without having to affect their school routine. The child and the parent have to make numerous visits to the dentist, the initial oral examination, getting radiographs done, moulds done, removal of teeth if required, checking for their healing, getting the braces in place, and follow-up visits for adjustments. In addition, on the child's side, they need sufficient time to heal from the teeth removal, get used to the presence of the metallic braces (in most cases) in their mouth, and get used to the new oral care methods. Another thing to consider also is the proximity of the dental clinic and the availability of the orthodontist. Most clinics schedule the orthodontist visit on one day of the week to cover all cases. Also, most children are in their early or late teens when they go for braces and are therefore in important stages of their academics. Therefore, summer becomes the best time to go for braces without affecting the schedule.
2. Oral Care: Having braces requires extra care from the child to learn oral hygiene measures. The braces make it easy for food particles to remain on the teeth, increasing chances of decay and gum disease. The child needs to make a conscious effort to keep this clean as developing decay during the treatment complicates the whole scene. Therefore, summer gives the ample time required to get used to the oral care routine.
3. Safety: Children with braces who are into sports should start using mouth-guards to protect them from injury during contact sports. Again, summer is a time to indulge in sports, and this will give the child adequate time to adjust to the use of mouth-guards.

All these make summer the ideal time to go for orthodontic treatment.

To get your child's teeth to be properly aligned at 8 years of age is best time to consult an orthodontist.