At Atlantic Children & Family Dentistry, we provide orthodontic treatments that help straighten and align your child’s teeth and jaws for better health. Your child or teenager can enjoy a beautiful smile with the help of our professional orthodontist.
How Traditional Braces Can Help
Metal braces are a traditional approach to correcting misaligned teeth and jaws for better biting, chewing, and speech skills. Misaligned teeth and jaws can cause numerous issues that may interfere with daily activities. Braces are the ideal treatment for the following conditions:
- Crowded teeth: The jaws are too small to accommodate the adult teeth and can contribute to impacted wisdom teeth.
- Gapped teeth: Teeth are too small to fill in the space within the jaw arch.
- Crossbites: The curve of the jaw or teeth does not align.
- Overbites: The upper teeth protrude farther out than the lower teeth.
- Underbites: The lower teeth protrude farther than the upper teeth.
These conditions can cause significant trouble when eating food and can impede speech. Some of these conditions can contribute to lifelong jaw disorders unless you seek treatment for your child in a timely manner. Braces will help correct these issues and improve your child’s smile.
The Basics of Metal Braces
Traditional metal braces consist of multiple pieces that work together to slowly push, pull and align your child’s teeth. The components of traditional braces can include:
- Brackets: Attached to the teeth to provide a leverage point for alignment.
- Archwires: Linked to the brackets to form a guide for alignment.
- Bands: Connected to the back teeth to anchor the braces.
- Springs: Helping push crowded teeth apart or help push gapped teeth together.
- Elastics: Fit over the bracket to help keep the archwire in place and provide a splash of personality.
Each part of the braces is instrumental in achieving your child’s oral health goals. Be sure to help your child follow all precautions and instructions provided by our orthodontist and team after placing your child’s braces.
How To Have Better Oral Hygiene With Metal Braces
Traditional metal braces do come with a few food restrictions. These limitations aim to help your child have better oral health while undergoing this conventional orthodontic treatment. Take a look at the following tips to maintain healthy teeth while using metal braces:
- Maintain a healthy brushing and flossing regimen every day.
- Avoid sugary foods and drinks that contribute to poor oral health.
- Avoid chewy treats that can dislodge the metal brackets or snap wires.
- Avoid sticky candies and foods that can get stuck behind the wires or between brackets.
- Avoid foods that require immense bite force, like nuts and unpopped popcorn kernels.
Orthodontic Treatments in Los Angeles
Your child deserves to have a healthy mouth that does not cause pain during daily activities. To learn more about getting braces in Los Angeles, California, and make an appointment with Dr. Jung Yoon Chang or Dr. Quy-Phung Phan, call Atlantic Children & Family Dentistry at 323-263-9600.