How do I know if I need braces?
Some symptoms and signs may indicate that a person needs to use orthodontics. The following is a detailed explanation of these signs and symptoms:
Common symptoms in adults and children
The following symptoms and signs indicate that an adult or child needs to use orthodontic treatment. The following is a detailed explanation of these symptoms:
Teeth crowding
Crowding is the most common problem that requires braces in adults and children. In the context of the conversation, it is worth noting that this problem occurs if there is not enough space in the mouth for all the teeth to grow. In fact, the accumulation of teeth gets worse over time, as it may lead to the appearance of areas in the mouth that are difficult to clean with a toothbrush or floss, which causes the accumulation of dental plaque, which in turn leads to tooth decay, bad breath, various gum diseases, or bone loss around the teeth. Fortunately, braces greatly help in treating tooth accumulation in adults.
Teeth alignment problems
It is recommended to consult an orthodontist to assess the person’s need for orthodontic treatment if any of the following problems appear:
- Overbite: Everyone suffers from a slight overlap of the upper teeth with the lower teeth when biting, but if the lower teeth are not seen when biting, this indicates a health problem called an overbite. In the context of the discussion, it is worth noting the importance of seeing a doctor to correct this condition by aligning the teeth or jaws in order to avoid the appearance of some problems and complications such as premature tooth wear.
- Overlapping of the lower teeth with the upper teeth: This condition is called an underbite, and it can usually be treated in a similar way to an overbite by aligning the jaws or teeth.
- Overjet: This condition is characterized by the upper teeth protruding significantly out of the jaw compared to the lower teeth, which increases the chance of the upper teeth falling out when a person is exposed to any shock, because they are the first teeth to be affected by the injury. This problem can be treated using braces in addition to rubber bands, and more severe cases may require surgery to align the jaws.
- The upper and lower teeth do not touch each other: Also known as an open bite or open bite malocclusion, this problem is represented by difficulty biting or chewing food, and it may also affect a person’s ability to speak. In the context of the conversation, it is worth noting that most cases of open bite are hereditary, but some other cases occur as a result of thumb sucking for long periods or using a pacifier.
- Cross - bite: This problem causes teeth to wear unevenly, and can usually be treated depending on the cause by aligning the teeth or jaws.
Tooth decay
A diastema is a harmless gap that appears between the teeth in adults and children. It is worth noting that this gap in children usually closes when the permanent teeth appear. Treatment of a diastema is not necessary, especially if it is formed as a result of a mismatch in the size of the teeth and jawbone, or if it is the result of the loss of baby teeth. If a person wants to close the gap for aesthetic reasons, the dentist may help determine the best method of treatment, which may include the use of braces, by applying pressure to the teeth and closing the gap over time.
Symptoms in adults
The following symptoms and signs indicate that an adult needs to resort to orthodontic treatment. The following is a detailed explanation of these symptoms and signs:
breathing problems
Some breathing problems such as sleep apnea or other breathing problems that cause obstruction of the airway and the failure of air to flow smoothly through the airways may be caused by a change in the area of the palate or roof of the mouth. In the context of the discussion, it is worth noting that narrowing the jaw area will lead to insufficient space for the growth of teeth, causing them to accumulate, and thus difficulty in bringing air into the body. It is necessary to see a doctor if any symptoms appear indicating breathing problems such as: breathing through the mouth to get enough air and oxygen, or suffering from recurrent sore and dry throat, or snoring loudly, or waking up from sleep due to suffocation or inability to breathe, as orthodontics is one of the effective treatments that can be followed to improve the symptoms of airway obstruction or sleep apnea.
bad breath
Persistent or recurring bad breath even after brushing your teeth may be a sign of bacteria between your teeth, gaps, and pockets, where food is trapped between your teeth as a result of food accumulation, causing gum problems and tooth decay. This also affects your oral hygiene and odor. In the context of this discussion, it is worth noting that orthodontics helps eliminate gaps and pockets, which prevents food particles from accumulating and reduces the chance of bacteria growth, thus reducing bad breath.
Other symptoms
Other symptoms that appear in adults and require orthodontic treatment include the following:
- Not feeling confident when smiling for any reason.
- Feeling pain in the mouth, gums, or teeth area. It is necessary to consult a specialist to determine the cause of the pain and assess the need to use braces.
- Difficulty in expression, as some dental problems may lead to difficulty in expression and speech.
- Difficulty chewing: Problems with the alignment of teeth can lead to difficulty in chewing and eating food. Fortunately, braces help you eat without difficulty or pain.
Symptoms in children
The following symptoms indicate that the child needs to resort to orthodontic treatment. It is worth noting the importance of seeing a doctor to detect his need early in order to prevent complications in the future. The following is a statement of these symptoms in some detail:
Child losing baby teeth
Early or late loss of primary teeth or baby teeth, or as a result of decay, may cause the child to need orthodontic treatment. Early loss may indicate the formation of empty spaces that hinder the growth of permanent teeth, while late loss may cause problems with the alignment of the teeth. It is worth noting that the use of orthodontics helps prevent the remaining teeth from moving into the empty spaces while the permanent teeth grow, and it also helps keep these spaces open, which helps the teeth grow naturally.
thumb sucking for long periods
Thumb-sucking can cause changes in the shape of a child's jaw, especially if it continues after the adult teeth begin to grow in. It can cause the front teeth to protrude and the lower teeth to crowd, which can cause speech problems such as stuttering, difficulty swallowing, or mouth breathing. Most children stop this habit when they are two to four years old, but if it continues while the adult teeth are growing in, the child will usually need to use braces.
mouth breathing
Mouth breathing is often caused by a complete or partial obstruction of the nasal airway. Allergies, enlarged tonsils, and abnormal jaw size and shape are common causes of nasal airway obstruction in children. It is worth noting that the problem of mouth breathing in children may cause a malfunction in the facial muscles, and over time, it leads to a change in the shape and appearance of the child's face, and it also leads to a change in the movement of the teeth, causing malocclusion. It may also lead to a change in the natural position of the tongue. Instead of being in the palate or roof of the mouth, it may drop down to make room for air to enter, which leads to pushing the lower teeth outward and making them more prominent than the upper teeth. Therefore, it is recommended to consult an orthodontist, as its use helps in treating malocclusion and mouth breathing.
Other symptoms
Below are some other symptoms that appear in a child and require the use of braces:
- Mouth or jaw pain: If a child feels pain in the mouth or jaw area on a continuous and regular basis, this indicates the need to resort to orthodontic treatment. It is important to note the importance of consulting a dentist and visiting an orthodontist to determine the cause of the child’s pain and discomfort.
- Trouble chewing or biting: Misaligned teeth negatively affect a child's ability to eat comfortably, because children often have difficulty eating, or bite their tongue or cheek unintentionally.
- Speech problems: Misaligned teeth may cause the child to have difficulty pronouncing some words, as well as other speech problems. Therefore, it is important to note the importance of consulting an orthodontist in addition to a speech pathologist.
Doctor's diagnosis of the need for orthodontics
The doctor assesses the need for treatment using orthodontics first, who in turn recommends consulting an orthodontist, who is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing dental deformities. There are several different types of orthodontics, and the doctor determines the appropriate type according to the person’s condition. Evaluating the condition of the teeth and determining the appropriate treatment includes several steps, including the following:
- Determine the current position and condition of each tooth, and predict how it will change over time without treatment.
- Conduct a complete clinical dental examination.
- Review the general health and dental history of the person wishing to undergo orthodontic treatment.
- X-rays of teeth and jaws.
- Design of molds suitable for teeth.
- Determining the appropriate type of braces and the approximate treatment period by the orthodontist.
oral examination
The doctor conducts a complete examination of the mouth, including the teeth and jaws, to determine the appropriate treatment method. In some cases where the teeth are crowded, the doctor may have to remove one of the permanent teeth before placing the braces, in order to expand the space for the rest of the teeth to restore their natural position. This increases the compatibility between the teeth, and also increases the ease of cleaning and caring for them. In severe cases, the doctor may need to perform jaw surgery in addition to placing braces. An example of this is the presence of a deformity in the jaw and teeth such that adjusting the position of the teeth is not sufficient to restore the natural ability to close the jaws.
Health history
Dental health history
Orthodontics is often used to improve the function of crooked and irregular teeth in the mouth, improve their appearance, facilitate their cleaning, and relieve pressure on the muscles and joints of the jaw. Among the common dental problems that may require orthodontic treatment are the following:
- Protruding upper front teeth: This is one of the most common reasons for which orthodontic treatment is required, as this treatment contributes to improving the appearance of the teeth and protecting them from damage when falling or getting injured while practicing various sports exercises.
- Crowding of teeth: In some cases, a person may have a narrow jaw, which causes crowding of the teeth and disruption of their appearance and functions. In this case, the doctor may need to remove some teeth to make room for other teeth when placing braces.
- Impacted teeth: (in English: Impacted teeth) Tooth impaction is the failure of the tooth to emerge from the gums or bone completely or partially, as a result of it growing in the wrong direction.
- Mismatched teeth: This is when the upper teeth do not match the lower teeth when the jaws are closed, which causes them to appear asymmetrical and sometimes crowded.
- Dental spacing: This is the opposite of dental crowding, as there is a gap between the teeth in this case, and it is the result of the loss of some teeth and the failure of teeth to grow along the jaws.
- Deep bite: This is when the upper teeth fall too far above the lower teeth.
- Reverse bite: This is when the upper teeth enter the lower teeth when the jaws are closed.
- Open bite: This is when the lower teeth do not meet the upper teeth when the jaws are closed, which results in a gap between them. This condition is often caused by the child sucking the thumb for a long period of time.
- Receding teeth: This is when the upper teeth are significantly receded backwards and the lower teeth may sometimes be pushed forward too much.
- Crossbite : In this case, the upper teeth are not naturally slightly forward in front of the lower teeth when the jaws are closed, but rather one or more teeth are very close to the cheeks or tongue when the jaws are closed.
General health history
Orthodontics may also be used to treat a number of different health problems, including the following:
- Cleft lip and palate: This condition is also known as a harelip, and is one of the congenital deformities that may appear in the fetus, represented by the birth of a fetus with a large cleft in the upper lip and the roof of the mouth, which is known as the palate. Orthodontics helps improve the appearance and function of the teeth and jaws of the person with this condition.
- Sleep apnea: (in English: Sleep apnoea) Simple cases of sleep apnea can be treated through orthodontics. It is a health sleep problem that is represented by cessation of breathing during sleep, and orthodontics can create a shield that prevents the airways from being blocked during sleep.
X ray
The doctor resorts to taking several consecutive x-rays of the mouth, in order to obtain a complete picture of the locations of the teeth and the visible and hidden teeth in the jaws. It is common to perform a panoramic x-ray to obtain an image of the entire upper and lower teeth in the occlusion position. The doctor may also request an x-ray of the head to reveal the distribution of teeth in the gums, their size, and the relationship of the jaws to the teeth. It is worth noting that some types of x-rays are three-dimensional, so that the locations of the teeth in relation to each other can be determined more easily.
Dental molds
The doctor asks the person to bite on a special soft material for several minutes to get the shape of the teeth, and thus design a dental mold that helps evaluate how the biting process is done and determine the appropriate shape of the braces. This mold can also be processed to create a digital mold that allows for further evaluation of the position of the teeth, which helps determine the appropriate treatment method.
The right age to install braces
In fact, there is no specific age suitable for installing braces, and it is recommended that children's teeth be evaluated by an orthodontist before the age of seven. The appropriate age for installing braces in children depends mainly on the health problem the child suffers from, the possibility of its development, and the completion of the growth of the jaws and teeth in the child. If a health problem is discovered in older people, treatment can be undergone, with the possibility of a decrease in the number of available treatment options with age. In some cases, treatment may be limited to getting rid of some bad habits such as thumb sucking and correcting some swallowing disorders that may affect the shape of the oral bones over time. Some may also need to direct the growth of teeth in the jaws and move the teeth only slightly. In general, installing braces in childhood is better than installing them after advancing in age. Usually, braces are installed at the age of 12 years, and this varies from one person to another based on the completion of the appearance and growth of the teeth, which is more important than age itself. It is worth noting that with advancing age, a person may need a longer period of treatment than younger people may need, because the facial bones stop growing after advancing in age. However, Both adults and children achieve similar results after orthodontic treatment.
