Dental braces for children: Not such a bad idea

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by: Bridget Summers
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Word Count: 419
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2010 Time: 4:05 AM
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Cosmetic treatments for children aren't looked on fondly by most people. Spa days for seven-year-olds are met with bemusement at best, and a pre-teen with a full face of makeup tends to look quite odd. But dental braces, though they may look unusual on a face without its share of spots, may be an exception to this.

The perfect time for braces

As children's teeth are still developing, they respond to braces more easily, making their treatment faster and less uncomfortable. If the braces go on early enough, they may already be off by the time the child starts secondary school, which will take a huge weight off his or her mind, and yours, if bullying is a problem.

NHS patients have another reason to get in early- as long as your child has a clinical need for braces, the treatment is free. Though treatment normally lasts about two years, it can take as long as six, so if you wait too long and your son or daughter still needs treatment after the age of 18, or 19 for students, you'll have to fork out £198 for new pieces of equipment.

Braces considerations

But before you jump into fitting your child with braces, there are a few things to think about. For one thing, braces won't work if your child doesn't have enough adult teeth yet, and the age that the right amount of teeth appears varies from person to person.

Or, braces just might not be the best option. If your child has a crowded mouth, a few extractions may be a better choice, as it's possible that his or her teeth will straighten on their own. This will save your child a lot of discomfort in the long run.

Your dentist should tell you if either of these is the case.

Also, if there is no urgent need for your child to have braces, make sure he or she really wants them- if your child is half-hearted about the treatment, it'll come out with half-hearted results, and your child will be unhappy until it's over.

Many people don't mind the imperfections in their teeth, and some kids would just rather wait till they're in their teens to have braces fitted. But if you're up for it, your child's up for it, and your dentist agrees that braces are the best option, the benefits will far outnumber the drawbacks.

About the Author

If you are a child, or a parent, looking for some orthodontic treatment to amend tooth irregularities then 6 month smiles london is a good place to start. This is an orthodontic treatment that enables you to get straighter teeth in an extremely short period of time, so see your 6 month smiles expert to see how you can get started.