Services
Orthodontic Appliances
Typically, permanent teeth emerge between the ages of 6 and 12. Whenever your kid’s back teeth (molars) develop, Dr. Justin Baik must perform a “bite check” to ensure that each tooth works together and is appropriately aligned. This early screening helps the Fox Pediatric Dentistry team determine if your child needs orthodontic appliances to keep their smile straight and healthy as well as prevent more extensive dental health issues.
What are orthodontic appliances?
An orthodontic appliance helps guide the teeth and jaws into proper alignment. Depending on your child’s bone structure, your child might need orthodontic devices to allow proper tooth eruption, maintain space, and assist with other alignment issues.
Sometimes a child may lose a baby tooth earlier than we would like. In these situations, a space maintainer may be placed to prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting into the void. A space maintainer may limit the need for braces in the future.
Dr. Justin can fit young patients with custom nightguards by taking impressions of their teeth and sending them to our dental laboratory for fabrication.
For example, a minor cavity can be treated with a simple filling or disking. But, if tooth decay has a chance to develop, it might require more extensive restorative dentistry work, like a dental crown or removal.
These types of appliances will be introduced in patients with persisting thumb or pacifier habits. It is essential to stop these habits early on to prevent long-term skeletal and dental changes in the mouth that will require braces to correct.
A custom mouthguard for sports may be needed in a minority of cases (like for patients who wear braces). But in most cases, an over-the-counter (OTC) athletic mouthguard is sufficient to protect developing children during sports.
Are you searching for a reliable OTC sports mouthguard brand? Dr. Justin recommends the ADA-accepted brand Game On® Mouthguards for an athletic mouthguard with optimal fit and protection.
In patients with minor orthodontic problems, a specialized appliance may be created to also limit the need for braces in the future.
A vital component of a dental exam is to evaluate the alignment and bite of your child. If it is discovered that the patient needs a complete set of braces, our Elgin pediatric dentist will send your child to a trusted orthodontist nearby.
Orthodontic Appliance Aftercare
Once Dr. Justin fits your child’s orthodontic appliance, the aftercare is down to you. Overall, clean and healthy teeth move faster than teeth covered in plaque and debris. After applying fixed orthodontic appliances (like spacers), our pediatric dentistry team suggests:
- Sticking to a soft diet for the next 48 hours to allow the dental cement to solidify
- Avoiding sticky, hard candies (e.g., starbursts, taffy, lollipops) to extend the life of the orthodontic appliance
- Preventing your child from sticking their finger in their mouth and playing with their new orthodontic appliance to prevent it from loosening
- Managing gum soreness, tightness around the tooth, and discomfort for several days with over-the-counter pain medications (like ibuprofen and acetaminophen) as needed
- Maintaining proper oral hygiene by brushing gently around the gums and ensuring that orthodontic appliances appear shiny after brushing
- Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water rinses if the child experience slight bleeding
Protect Your Child’s Alignment with Early Orthodontic Treatment in Elgin, IL
At Fox Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Justin can decide which type of orthodontic appliance can work best with your child’s dental alignment and provide care and instructions so that your little one can get the best results out of treatment. Get the healthiest, fastest, and earliest orthodontic treatment possible by calling (224) 629-4125 or messaging us online to book a consultation in Elgin, IL.
