Give Us a Smile
At what age do children’s teeth come through?
The tooth fairy starts to get busy from when a child is about six years old until around the age of 13 when all the permanent teeth should be in place. The first permanent teeth known as molars, are found at the back of the mouth and will appear from around 6 years, whilst the baby teeth are successively replaced with ‘adult’ teeth - usually the lower front teeth are lost first, followed by the upper front teeth shortly after.
How should children’s teeth be cleaned?
At any early age, children should learn to brush their teeth and to make it part of the daily hygiene routine. At first your child will need assistance, so you may find this easier to do if you stand
or sit behind your child, gently cupping their chin in your hand to allow you to reach the teeth more easily.
It will help if you
start and finish brushing at the same point so you know when you’ve done the job properly. Next, squirt a pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste onto the toothbrush then, start with the top set back teeth making small circular motions with the brush, moving gradually around to the other side of the mouth. Do exactly the same with the bottom set. Then repeat this action with the inside of the teeth. As your child grows older encourage them to brush his or her teeth independently, but it is important to supervise your child’s brushing until they are at least seven.
At what age should I take my child to the dentist?
CREATING BEAUTIFUL SMILES
Those pearly whites need to last a long, long time so it really is crucial to manifest good dental hygiene habits in children at a very early age. Sugar coated teeth can decay at an alarmingly fast rate – and once they’re gone, they’re gone! Like any good habit, good dental health such as regular brushing, flossing and check-ups with a dentist need to be repeated again and again until it’s instilled and becomes second nature. Kick starting this daily ritual needn’t be an uphill challenge and thankfully there are many ways we can help support our children look after their teeth…
Ideally, you should start taking your child to the dentist as early as possible. That way, he or she will be used to the sounds, smells and environment and are less likely to feel intimidated at future visits.
What if my child is very nervous about going to the dentist?
It is important not to let your child feel that a visit to the dentist is something to be worried about. Regular visits are essential in helping your child to get used to the surroundings and what goes on at a dental practice.
What is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics is a Greek word that literally means ‘to straighten teeth’. It is a type of dental treatment that aims to improve the appearance, position and function of crooked or abnormally arranged teeth.
Orthodontics uses mechanical devices, such as a brace, over a certain period of time (usually 18 months to two years) to correct the position of the teeth. It is important that the teeth are healthy and the cleaning is very good before any orthodontic treatment is considered, so diet, tooth-brushing and regular visits to the dentist are important.
When should I bring my child to see an orthodontist?
Age 6 -8 years
OrthodonticTreatment ForAdults andChildren FixedAppliances -AestheticAppliances
Northbrook Clinic Northbrook Rd,Ranelagh,Dublin 6 Tel 01 4967111
Navan Dental Practice 7 Cannon Row,Navan,
Co.Meath Tel 046 9021372
Pembroke Dental Clinic Granby,KilkennyRd,Carlow,
Co.Carlow Tel 059 9131667
www.odonnellorthodontics.ie info@odonnellorthodontics.ie
28 Primary Times WINTER ISSUE
Clear Aligners - Invisalign
Retainer Service 6Month Braces
Fixed Retainers Same Day
The permanent upper and lower incisors are erupting at this stage, as are the first permanent molars. Treatment such as cross- bites (upper teeth inside the lowers) can easily be rectified and save more complicated treatment at a later stage. Cases with small upper jaws can also be treated by expansion at this ideal stage. Many simpler or just crowded cases may not be ready to start at this age but your orthodontist can advise of possible future treatment and planning for this can be implemented.
Aged 8-10 years
At this stage your child will still be in the mixed dentition stage (ie have adult and primary teeth at the same time). Cross-bites can still be corrected but more severe problems where there is mismatch of the jaws can be treated by Growth Modification with the use of Functional Appliances. Also at this stage your child will have the position of the canine or ‘eye teeth’ assessed and extraction can improve the position of the adult canines in specific cases.
Aged 11+
This is the stage where your child is in the adult dentition stage and will have comprehensive orthodontic treatment, if needed. This may be as simple as a removable appliance or more complicated requiring fixed appliances ( ‘tracks’ ) or more recently clear aligners are available for the more simple cases ( treatment such as ‘invisalign –teen’).
Orthodontics in the HSE
The HSE provides free orthodontic treatment only for those patients with the most severe orthodontic problems. The criteria used to decide whether a child qualifies for treatment in the HSE is determined by nationally agreed eligibility guidelines. However, treatment waiting times vary from region to region depending on orthodontist manpower and can be very long. The most severe cases are prioritised and seen first.
www.hse.ie
Orthodontic advice, provided by Dr. Maghnus O’Donnell B.A.,B. Dent. Sc.,
M.Sc.(Lond),
M.Orth(RCSEng). M.Orth (RCSEd)
Orthodontic Specialist, Orthodontic Society of Ireland.
To find a privated orthodontic specialist near you, contact the Orthodontic Society of Ireland
on 087 771 1909 or check
www.orthodontics.ie
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32