The Importance of Braces: Or Why Mistletoe Is Good For More than Just Kissing
A Young girl knows she needs braces, and knows they are not cheap. Answer? Sell mistletoe
An eleven year old girl American needs braces. She knows they are not cheap, but she knows the orthodontic treatment is important. So, she decides to sell mistletoe.
Cutting mistletoe from her uncle’s farm, she wrapped the mistletoe herself and sold it at the local markets. And despite the attempts of a security guard, and some interesting city laws that prohibited her from selling in the markets, she has managed to raise thousands of dollars selling the mistletoe.
She has now managed to contribute significantly to the cost of her braces. Just in time too, being eleven years old it is the perfect time start treatment. This is because most permanent teeth have come through but the jaw is still developing.
The importance of braces
Getting braces while the jawbone is still developing can optimise the treatment time and effectiveness. It can also—sometimes—prevent the need for extractions; even though extraction orthodontics is not common, on occasion it is necessary. However, your Orthosmile Orthodontics’ orthodontist will assess this on a case by case basis and determine what the best form of treatment for you and your oral health is.
Braces are important for your oral health
A lot of media surrounds the aesthetic benefits of straightening teeth, after all who doesn’t want a nice looking smile? But there are a number of health benefits too. Some of the health benefits of braces include: better oral hygiene and bite.
Better oral hygiene because straight teeth are easier to brush and floss, which means you reduce the risk of decay and gum disease. Better bite because crooked teeth can cause misaligned bite, which can cause temporomandibular joint dysfunction and teeth grinding. Both of these problems can cause other problems, such as neck, back and ear pain as well as headaches and damaged teeth.
Don’t neglect your child’s oral health; visit Orthosmile Orthodontics for a consultation with one of our friendly orthodontists.
Early intervention
At Orthosmile Orthodontics in Brisbane we provide early intervention orthodontics for children around the age of seven. The reason for assessing a child’s health this early is that your child’s jaw is still developing. This means that it is possible to avoid braces with the use of intervention treatments. In many cases preventive appliances can avoid extractions and jaw surgery along with the discomfort and cost of braces.
One of the preventive appliances we offer here are at Orthosmile Orthodontics is arch expansion appliances. Arch expansion appliances are used when you have cross-bite. To treat this Dr Daxter uses a maxillary expansion appliance and can be used to expand your upper arch.
How long will treatment last?
The length of treatment will depend on the complexity of the case and which treatment you are receiving. Typically, treatment takes around 18 months but can be shorter or considerably longer. By getting intervention orthodontics you may be able to avoid the need for lengthy treatment.
Talk to the Orthosmile Orthodontic team today, to find out how we can help you.