Parents are busy and work daily to give their children what they need to succeed in this world. You want your children to be happy, well-adjusted, and confident. Unfortunately, many factors in life can decrease
your child’s self-confidence, and one of those factors is their smile.
If your child suffers from specific dental concerns, they may not like what they see when they look in the mirror. This can lead to self-esteem issues, which can affect their performance and success in school and other activities. Thankfully, Carousel Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics can fit your child with braces and help them achieve their best smile. Although braces are a great way to correct many dental concerns, some common issues can occur when your child wears them.
Who May Need Braces in Apple Valley, MN?
If your child has any of the following dental concerns, they may be a candidate for braces:
- Crooked teeth – This concern is one of the most common reasons you might look for an orthodontist for your child.
- Spacing issues – If your child’s teeth are unevenly spaced, they may benefit from braces.
- Overlapping teeth – Perhaps some of your child’s teeth overlap, and more spacing is needed.
- Jaw concerns – In some cases, it isn’t your child’s teeth that are the issue; they may have jaw problems that braces can correct.
- Overbite, underbite, or crossbite – These conditions are known as malocclusions, which are types of teeth misalignment that can cause issues with chewing and speaking.
What Issues Occur With Braces, and What Should You Do?
Once your child is wearing braces, some common issues can be uncomfortable or hinder the effectiveness of the braces. Our top priority is your child’s dental health, so you need to know what to do to help your child if any of the following issues occur:
Food stuck in braces – If your child has food stuck in their braces, tie a knot in a piece of dental floss and try to floss it out or use an interproximal brush or toothpick to dislodge the food.
Ligature comes loose or comes off – If your child loses one of the tiny rubber bands or wires that hold the main wire to the bracket, or if it simply comes loose, you have options at home. If it’s a rubber ligature, try to use tweezers to put it back on. If it’s a wire ligature that comes loose or comes off, you will need to contact our office so that we can give you advice or have you come in for an appointment.
Mouth, lip, or cheek irritation – Braces can irritate your child’s mouth, so if this happens, you can use a cotton swab to apply an over-the-counter topical anesthetic such as Oragel to help ease their discomfort. For lip or cheek irritation, apply a tiny amount of non-medicinal relief wax to the area of the braces that is rubbing, and this will act as a buffer between your child’s braces and their lip or cheek.
Protruding wire – Occasionally, a wire can come out and poke your child’s mouth. If this happens, gently push the wire back into place using a pencil eraser or a cotton swab. If this doesn’t work, put some relief wax over the wire. Either way, you will need to call our office for an appointment.
Loose bracket or band – Sometimes, if your child eats hard or crunchy foods or is hit in the mouth, they could loosen or lose the bracket that is attached to their tooth. If this happens, you will need to call the orthodontist for an appointment, but if you can’t go to the orthodontist right away, you can use tweezers to slide the bracket back to the center of the tooth.
Are You Looking for a Dentist Near Apple Valley, MN?
If you or a family member would like to discuss braces in Apple Valley, MN, or if you have questions or concerns about your braces, please don’t hesitate to call Carousel Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics at (952) 715-6177.