TREATMENT Options
About Orthodontics
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Your child will have an initial consultation with our highly experienced children’s orthodontist, who will discuss treatment options. The choice of brace will depend on your child's particular needs.
Once the appliance has been chosen and fitted you will need to attend further appointments to have the appliance tightened or to collect the next set of aligners.
Once the treatment has been completed, we will remove the appliance (if fixed) and provide your child with custom-made retainers.
Don’t worry will be there through every step of treatment to ensure your child gets fantastic results.
Although it is possible to straighten your teeth at any age, the best time to receive orthodontic treatment is as a child. Potential problems can be corrected at the earliest stage with braces for children, which has been proven to be beneficial in achieving the desired result, and you can avoid having to wear braces further down the line!
Early, interceptive orthodontic treatment can be performed on children from 7 years old, and typically lasts between 8-12 months. It can be used to correct problems such as overbites, underbites, crowding and protruding teeth at an early stage, which can make later treatment much less complicated, or even make it possible to avoid it all together.
The traditional metal braces are no longer the only choice for straightening children’s teeth. You can now choose a more modern, more efficient and more discreet brace system to help them achieve a straighter smile. At Hampstead Orthodontic Practice we offer a range of fixed braces suitable for children and will recommend the most suitable solution for your child.
Whichever brace you and your child choose their teeth may feel a little bruised at some points, but it should be a relatively pain-free process. Having straighter teeth will also benefit their oral health, as teeth are harder to clean when they are overcrowded and overlapping.
Invisalign® clear aligners are custom-made for your child’s teeth. With extra comfort, they fit in fantastically with any lifestyle, allowing teens to continue with sports and other hobbies.
The aligners are completely removable, so there's no need for your child to skip their favourite foods. They can easily maintain good oral hygiene by cleaning their teeth as normal.
Having a brace fitted is a painless procedure. However you can experience some discomfort for a few days afterwards. Taking your normal painkillers should help relieve discomfort. Most problems subside within 48 hours.
A course of orthodontic treatment varies with the complexity of the case. With fixed braces it can take anywhere between 12 - 24 months active treatment. Following this there will then be a phase of retention, which stabilizes your teeth. You continue to visit the surgery every 3-4 months for 1 year and then on your Orthodontist's advice you can be discharged.
Out of school appointments are popular with everyone. Late appointments are offered to adults and fee paying child patients by prior arrangement with the practice. Please discuss your requirements with us before starting your treatment and we can advise on which treatment package will suit your needs.
Always contact the surgery for advice as soon as possible, same day or the next day at the latest. If you break your retainers you must contact the surgery as soon as possible for advice.
The wax supplied in your starter kit can be applied to a fixed brace. Try to dry the area first with a piece of cloth or tissue to help the wax stick. If a removable brace is rubbing, wear it as much as possible but contact the surgery as soon as possible to have it looked at.
Painkillers can be taken if necessary in the first few days. A soft diet may also help in those first few days. Sipping iced cold water helps to lessen the pulling sensation on the teeth. Most problems subside within 48 hours.
With a removable brace, it is likely that your speech will be affected to start with. Most people have very few problems after the first few days. A removable brace should be worn as instructed. If it is continually removed, it is unlikely that the speech will adapt. Hidden Lingual braces can take a few days to adapt but with normal fixed braces there is normally little or no change in speech.
Most people have no problems, whilst others will be affected for the whole course of treatment. This needs to be borne in mind when starting a course of treatment.
We will write a letter to your general Dentist, who will arrange for teeth to be removed, usually under a local anaesthetic. If the extractions are likely to be more complicated, your Orthodontist may refer you to a specialist dental surgeon (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon). Most extractions are done at the Dentist with local anaesthetic to make the procedure painless.
Removable braces must ALWAYS be removed and placed in an appliance box during contact sports. A mouthguard should be worn during contact sports. A mouthguard is recommended when a fixed brace is worn. Your chemist should be able to supply mouth-guards that can be molded to your teeth by placing in hot water. We also offer a special guard that protects the upper and lower teeth as well as the lips and cheeks. We can also provide custom fitted mouth-guards, made at our laboratory. They are made to allow movement of the teeth during treatment whilst protecting the appliance and teeth.
Once the fixed braces are removed, removable retainers will be fitted. These should be worn as directed by your orthodontist. Generally, it is highly recommended that long-term retainer wear is continued to maintain the results. Fixed or bonded retainers are another option. These are permanently attached to the inside of your teeth and prevent any future movement. Your Orthodontist will give you instructions regarding the options available.
Yes, this is very important. We recommend that you visit your dentist and hygienist every six months to check that your teeth and gums are healthy. We DO NOT check your teeth for other dental problems. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have your teeth checked regularly.
There is a possibility of minor risks to the teeth during orthodontic treatment. These are outlined at your consultation and we ensure that you are fully aware of all the risks associated prior to commencing treatment. Many of the risks can be reduced or eliminated by following the advice you are given. These risks are mainly caused by poor oral hygiene standards, diet and failure to comply with your Orthodontists instructions.
