Should You Have More than One Child in Braces at the Same Time?

August 13, 2019 Austin Orthodontics

When you have kids, you’ll often find yourself juggling the different needs of each child while trying to meet your own at the same time. As you’ve watched your kids grow, you’ve likely been mentally preparing for when they will need to get braces to straighten their teeth. If you have more than one child, the idea of having multiple kids in braces at the same time may sound a bit intimidating, but this actually has some benefits you should consider. 

You Can Schedule Appointments at the Same Time

The thing about having more than one kid with braces at once is you will have to go through the process fewer times, perhaps just once depending on how many kids you have and how you time their treatment. If you have multiple kids in braces, you can take care of their appointments at the same time, from when they get their consultation to when they get their braces off. Since each person’s treatment will be different, one may be in treatment longer than the other, but they will mostly be on the same schedule.

It Will Be Easier to Keep Track of Food Restrictions

When a patient has braces, there are certain things they should avoid eating so they don’t damage their braces or get food stuck in them that they can’t remove. Having one child who can eat anything and one who can’t can be tricky. If both of your kids have braces, neither one of them will be able to eat crunchy or sticky foods, so you can simply eliminate them from your grocery list. Once their treatments are over, you can go back to buying all of the foods you normally would and not have to worry about food limitations again. 

Your Kids Are Less Likely to Tease Each Other

If one child has braces and the other doesn’t, it can be a headache dealing with one sibling teasing the other. It can also cause added stress on your child during their treatment. If your kids have braces at the same time, it evens the score and they have no reason to tease each other. Plus, if they encounter any teasing from their peers, they can support each other since they know what the other is going through. 

You Have to Keep Track of Treatment Fewer Times

When your kids have braces, you will need to help them stay on track with their treatment plan. This includes making sure they are eating foods that are safe for their braces, but it also entails other factors. You’ll need to make sure they are keeping their elastics in and replacing them on time, avoiding rough play without a proper mouthguard, and keeping up with good oral hygiene. 

Multiple Family Member Discounts

Orthodontists understand treatment is an added expense and the thought of paying for two or more sets of braces can be daunting. To make braces more affordable for families, many orthodontists, including Austin Orthodontics, offer discounts to those who have more than one child in treatment at the same time. This discount also lessens the need for parents to decide who is going to get treatment first, which can be a hard decision to make.

If your kids are close in age and you manage to get them in braces at the same time, you can deal with the process once and save some money. Obviously if your kids are spread out in age or not ready for treatment at the same time, this won’t work, but if you have two or more that are ready for treatment, consider doing them both at once.

If you have any questions or concerns about orthodontic treatment for your kids, feel free to contact Austin Orthodontics today! 

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Why You Still Might Need Braces Even if Your Teeth Look Straight

July 25, 2019 Austin Orthodontics

For people who are unhappy with their smile, getting braces makes sense. However, if you like the way your teeth look, you may not think you need braces. While this could be the case, there may also be issues that aren’t as noticeable when you look in the mirror.

Unseen Crowding

Even if you have a good-looking smile, there could be problems you can’t see. When you get orthodontic treatment with braces or clear aligners, it fixes far more than cosmetic issues.

One common issue is crowding, which is caused by a shortage of space between your teeth. When your teeth are crowded, it often affects the appearance of your smile, but some people can have crowding in the back of their mouth, leaving their smile still looking straight. The problem with crowding is food can easily get stuck in between your teeth, making it difficult to thoroughly clean them. This will inevitably lead to tooth decay and possibly worse oral health problems.

Crowding can also cause one or two teeth to be positioned higher than the surrounding teeth. This will cause a disproportionate amount of force to be put on those teeth, which erodes the tooth over time unevenly or causes cracking, both of which you want to avoid.

Underlying Issues

Not all orthodontic issues occur above the gum lines. X-rays often discover problems that need to be fixed but are currently not affecting a smile’s appearance. For example, some patients have adult teeth that have never erupted, either because there wasn’t enough space or the baby teeth never fell out. These trapped teeth can even end up sideways under the gums in an attempt to move into their proper positions.

Braces are often needed to fix these types of underlying issues, either as part of the initial treatment, or after the fact to return the smile to its straight, healthy state.

This is one of the many reasons we don’t recommend mail-order orthodontic treatment. These providers rely on impressions and selfies submitted by their customers, which means any issues hiding under the gums are not addressed.

Misaligned Bite

While your smile may look straight to others, many people have to force their smile to look normal due to an overbite or underbite. Both of these conditions can complicate your oral health by leading to uneven pressure in your mouth, speech or eating problems, or jaw pain. By getting braces or clear aligners, you can get your bite to a normal position and always bite down comfortably while never having to adjust your jaw to make your smile look straight.

To schedule a free consultation and see how braces can improve your oral health, contact Austin Orthodontics today!

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4 Ways to Limit How Much Sugar You Eat with Braces

July 3, 2019 Austin Orthodontics

The process of getting a straighter smile you’ll be proud of includes going through orthodontic treatment. Braces are still the most common method of straightening teeth and setting yourself up for good long-term oral health. This treatment method takes plenty of getting used to, but the results will be far more than worth it. One of the adjustments you’ll need to make during your treatment is cutting back on sugar.

Reasons to Avoid Sugar with Braces

Besides the fact that sugar is something you should always do your best to avoid, you have an increased chance of experiencing tooth decay when you have braces. This is because food can more easily become trapped around the brackets, making it harder to clean off with brushing. Having sugary food become stuck in your braces causes plaque to build up, which will lead to the formation of cavities.

Another problem people often experience if they don’t take good care of their teeth while they have braces is discoloration of their teeth enamel. If you aren’t keeping with cleaning and choose sugary foods, you can end up with darker spots around your braces when they are removed.

1. Cut Out Hard Candy

One type of food you should be avoiding for multiple reasons is hard candy. Not only can the tough texture of hard candy possibly damage your braces, but the sugary residue can hide underneath the archwire and brackets. You should also avoid sugary cereals for the same reasons.

2. Reserve Desserts for Special Occasions

When it comes to typical dessert foods like cookies, ice cream, and cakes, you should cut back on how often you eat these foods. The best practice is to reserve these sorts of foods for special occasions, such as if you are at a wedding or birthday celebration. If you still feel like you need to appease your sweet tooth, you can schedule a “cheat day” one day a week where you can have a dessert to satisfy your craving.

3. Avoid White Bread

One type of food many people don’t think of as being sugary is starchy white bread. While this may not exactly be a dessert food, white bread processes in your body the same way sugar does. The same goes for your teeth. White bread processes into sugar in the mouth, which quickly leads to tooth decay. In fact, the texture and contents of white bread can be even worse for your teeth than cane sugar.

4. Read Food Labels Carefully

It can be surprising just how much sugar gets packed into foods that seem like they are meant for meals rather than desserts. This is especially true in America, where sugar is a common ingredient in foods that are marketed as being “savory.” Many sauces like ketchup and barbeque sauce can have surprisingly high levels of sugar. When you go shopping at the store, be sure to read each label and look for the sugar content.

If you have any questions or concerns about life with braces, feel free to contact Austin Orthodontics.

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How to Successfully Move with Braces

June 4, 2019 Austin Orthodontics

Sometimes, you just need to pick up your roots and plant them elsewhere. When you’re in the middle of a move, there are already plenty of factors to consider. Between finding ways to transport all of your items, meeting new neighbors, and learning about a new city, the stress can pile up quickly! At Austin Orthodontics, we want to do what we can to help make your move as smooth as possible if you have a family member with braces. Here are some tips to help you have an easy transition.

Make a Visit to Your Current Orthodontist

When you are approaching the move, be sure to make a special appointment with your current orthodontist to let them know you are moving soon. Your orthodontist can provide a summary of your treatment progress along with a projection for the remainder of the treatment. This treatment summary can be handed over to you in addition to all of your x-ray and digital scan images. If you don’t want to be responsible for these items, you can always have your orthodontist send them over to your new orthodontist so they can get fully up to speed on your treatment needs.

The American Association of Orthodontists also provides a transfer form that your orthodontist can complete and send over to your new orthodontist. This form provides information not found on your regular records, including a full history of orthodontic problems and an estimate on how much time is left.

Don’t Forget About Finances

When you are in the process of moving and switching orthodontists, make sure your finances are in order. You orthodontist should refund the portion of the treatment they won’t complete if you already paid in full, allowing you to give that money to the orthodontist who will complete your treatment. Be sure to cancel your payments if you are having automatic payments withdrawn from your account each month when it comes time to switch over to your new orthodontist.

Ask for Recommendations

Orthodontists often attend networking events on a regular basis, so before you try to find a new orthodontist on your own, ask your current one if they have anyone they would recommend. You can also have them look up a licensed orthodontist in the area you are moving to in the database provided by the American Association of Orthodontists. Our very own Dr. Seth Briggs is a trusted member of the American Association of Orthodontists, so you’ll likely see his name show up if you’re moving to the Austin, TX area.

When you arrive in your new city, don’t hesitate to contact your new orthodontist so they can pick up where your last orthodontist left off right away. Be sure to provide them with your medical records and transfer form if they haven’t received them already and switch over your financial information.

If you’re planning on moving to the Austin area, contact Austin Orthodontics today for a smooth transition and seamless completion for your orthodontic treatment.

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