• At What Age Should The First Orthodontic Examination Be?

In children, the fall of the milk teeth and the placement of the permanent teeth are between the ages of 6-7. At this age, it is possible to diagnose palate, tooth, jaw and skeletal problems. Therefore, the most ideal orthodontic examination timing to prevent future health problems and aesthetic problems is the 6-7 age range. It is important that a child who has not undergone examination at this age undergoes an orthodontic examination at the latest between the ages of 11-12.

• What are the Orthodontic Problems in Children?

1. Undesirable Habits
2. Repetitive behaviors such as cheek and lip biting, thumb sucking, prolonged use of a pacifier or bottle, nail biting, gnawing on hard objects such as pencils, sleeping with an open mouth.
3. Problems seen in teeth
4. Early or late loss of milk teeth
5. Uneven, misplaced or unerupted teeth
6. Anteriorly positioned teeth
7. Positioning of the upper teeth, which we call buckteeth, too forward
8. Problems in the Jaw
9. The lower or upper jaw is positioned behind the face
10. Positioning the lower or upper jaw forward relative to the face
11. Jaw stenosis
12. Oral Problems
13. Inconnection of the upper and lower teeth
14. Closing problems of the mouth
15. Unbalanced facial appearance
16. Genetic Problems
17. Conditions such as lower jaw size and facial length seen in the family are also genetically seen in children
18. Orthodontic problems may occur if there are conditions such as sleeping with an open mouth, tonsils, adenoids, mouth breathing, atypical baby swallowing.
19. Apart from these, cleft lip and palate that occur with birth are also diseases that require orthodontic intervention and can be solved by the pediatric orthodontic specialty.

• How is the Treatment of Cleft Lip and Palate Performed?

In the first stage of the treatment of cleft lip / palate, which is seen in one out of 1000 children, orthodontists and surgeons carry out the treatment process in cooperation. Babies who are born with this disease should be examined by an orthodontist within 1-2 days after birth and their treatment should be started. In the first stage of the treatment, it is aimed that the child suffering from nutritional problems reaches adequate weight. For this, nutritional plates are applied. In addition, deformations in the lip, palate and nose areas are shaped with some appliances and elastics. Thus, more successful results are obtained from aesthetic surgical procedures that will be required in the future.

• Can Children Also Use Braces?

As in adults, children can also use braces. Putting braces on children is the same as for adults. First of all, tooth surfaces are cleaned with special hygiene providers. Special adhesives are applied to the surface of the teeth. A square metal piece that we call braces / brackets is attached to the tooth surface. After the brackets are placed on the desired teeth, the straight braces that will connect the brackets are placed in the appropriate space in the brackets. The teeth are connected to each other. The force applied to one tooth also affects other teeth, thus ensuring tooth movements. The desired tooth or jaw movement is initiated in the mouth. Since braces can be applied on permanent teeth, the child’s starting time for treatment is determined by the orthodontist, so that the treatment is completed within the optimum process.

• Is the use of braces a disadvantage in children?

Nowadays, with braces becoming more aesthetic and fun visually, using braces does not disturb the user as before. The elastics attached to the braces can be made from the colors chosen by the patient, which can make braces fun for children and can be a way to show yourself differently. Again, since the use of braces has become widespread today, people using braces have become accustomed to it. Some orthodontic problems can be corrected without braces or appliances. Preventing the problem by treating it as a child forms the basis of a healthy tooth structure and prevents further orthodontic problems. Pediatric orthodontics starts with the identification of problems. After the first examination, the interventions that need to be done are determined.

• What are the Advantages of Child Orthodontic Treatment?

1. As with any early diagnosed disease, orthodontic problems are easier, faster and less costly if diagnosed early.
2. Child orthodontic treatment provides the diagnosis and treatment of problems in the teeth and jaw structures of children. Thus, children gain a healthier oral structure. Distorted and incorrect tooth alignment that may occur in the mouth is prevented.
3. Uneven teeth are very difficult to clean. The hygiene of the teeth corrected by orthodontic intervention is provided more easily. Tooth and gingival diseases that may occur in the mouth are prevented.
4. A disproportionate appearance on the face is prevented by preventing the wrong positioning of the chin. Proportion is provided in the jaw structures positioned forward or backward.
5. If there is stenosis in the jaw, expansion is enabled.
6. Undesirable habits are avoided. Parental awareness of negative habits such as thumb sucking, nail biting, long-term use of pacifiers, tongue thrusting, and sleeping with an open mouth becomes established. Orthodontic problems caused by these habits are eliminated. Since nasal breathing is performed instead of mouth breathing in children, respiratory problems are prevented. Children breathe more easily. Comfortable breathing is important for physiological and psychological health.
7. Tooth fractures, distortions and slippages that occur in traumas such as falls and injuries are treated early to prevent them from creating bigger problems in the future. With a healthy mouth structure, children’s free laughter is guaranteed. It is ensured that children who can speak comfortably, express themselves and laugh are raised.
8. Consciousness about oral and dental health is established in children. It is ensured that they grow with healthy teeth and jaw structure.
9. It improves the physical appearance of children, prevents the occurrence of aesthetic anxiety, supports self-confidence.
10. Child orthodontic treatment ensures that healthy, conscious, good-looking and self-confident children are raised.

• What should children who use braces pay attention to?

1. By staying away from acidic drinks such as cola, soda.
2. By slicing hard foods such as quince, apples without biting them.
3. They should divide hard foods such as crispy bagels and toast into bite-sized bites and consume them without biting.
4. Sticky foods such as chewing gum and Turkish delight should be avoided.
5. They should not consume foods such as snacks and chips.
6. They should brush their teeth regularly by paying attention to their oral hygiene.

Since families see their children’s milk teeth as temporary, they do not see the early loss of teeth from the mouth as a problem. However, the gap created by the prematurely separated teeth affects the mouth structure. It prevents both the alignment of the teeth and the jaw from reaching the required width. Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness about oral care and health of children. It is the most important learning for the oral health of the children that the families give their children the habit of brushing their teeth. Oral care is an important habit for people of all ages, which affects their body health and aesthetics. We need to take care of inculcating this habit in our children. Just as it is beneficial for children to be examined by an ophthalmologist after the age of 2, it is beneficial for children to visit a pedodontist and an orthodontist dentist for dental and gingival health.