Teeth alignment plates for children and adults

The health of milk teeth is very important, because the state of the oral cavity in the future depends on it. Therefore, children sometimes require orthodontic services to align their teeth or correct the occlusion. The main correction method is braces, but they are not recommended to be installed before 12-13 years. Some dentists even advise to refrain from them until adolescence.

For very young patients, there is a more suitable solution that will give quick results, but will not harm the root system that has not yet been strengthened. We are talking about special records that are installed on the teeth of children and adults and contribute to their straightening even with complex dentoalveolar anomalies.

What are tooth plates and what tasks do they cope with

The plate is a type of interchangeable retainer for the lower and upper jaw. Initially, it was created to prevent tooth bending after a long orthodontic treatment. Today, this device is often used directly to straighten teeth in adults and children.

The plate consists of two parts: the base of a durable polymer and a metal arc. The main work of the orthodontic plate for children lies precisely on the arc. It is made of a unique material - nitinol, the so-called alloy of titanium and nickel, which has a shape memory.

The arch of the removable plate is betrayed by a view that in the future will correspond to the correct dentition and the patient’s bite. Then this arc is bent according to the actual position of the teeth. Under the influence of heat, nitinol in the mouth begins to return to its original form, the metal presses the teeth a little, forcing them to move in the right direction.

Periodically, it is necessary to tighten the arc so that it fits more tightly to the teeth. The fixed retainer also works practically, but it is used less frequently in pediatric dentistry.

Photo: plates for aligning teeth in children

Such orthodontic structures are installed not only for the purpose of straightening. They have other functions:

• Correction of minor jaw anomalies.
• Elimination of interdental fissures.
• Jaw muscle training.
• Prevention of improper tongue placement in the oral cavity, throat breathing and the formation of a true habit.

Using plates, you can not only fix existing dental problems, but also prevent their occurrence in the future.

How plates are made and placed

Dental plates are created individually for each child. It all starts with an initial examination, at the end of which the orthodontist decides whether, in general, to put the structure. Still, it is not effective in all cases, and sometimes you have to choose a different type of treatment.

If there are no contraindications for installing a removable retainer, an X-ray of the maxillofacial region is made to the patient. Using it, a 3D model of the upper and lower jaw is usually created with a bite and the position of the teeth, which they will continue to strive for. At the same stage, a plaster cast is taken.

The little patient decides what to put on his teeth. He is given a huge number of plastic colors to choose from. If you wish, you can even make a drawing.

Plates are placed directly on the teeth of children only after a complete diagnosis. If the child has caries or damage to the enamel, the specialist will postpone the production of the retainer, because for a start it is worth putting your teeth in order.

If everything is fine, the child with his parents goes home, and the specialist starts work. A plate is created using a cast and a snapshot. Its main part looks like a sky outline, which allows you to evenly distribute the load. The arch is made taking into account how the patient’s dentition should look at the end of treatment.

You can learn more about plate manufacturing from the video:

How long do you need to wear plates

The first installation of the plate on the teeth takes place in the dentist's office. The patient should wear it for no more than 10 minutes - this time is enough to identify deficiencies. It is extremely rare that the retainer is suitable the first time, usually the doctor has to twist the arc several times or change the shape of the plate before giving it to the patient.

Orthodontists usually do not give accurate predictions of the effect of the plate on the teeth, because the type of teeth before and after treatment depends on many factors:

• Degree of curvature or malocclusion.
• Return baby.
• The number of milk and molars.
• Sensitivity of enamel and gums.

Usually, the alignment of the teeth and the formation of the correct bite in children and adolescents occurs several times faster than in adults. Sometimes the results are noticeable in just 1-2 months. This is due to the fact that at a young age, the root system is still very malleable, and the teeth calmly change their position.

Photo: this is how teeth alignment plates look like

In most cases, only 8–10 months is enough to correct minor bite problems. To align several teeth, you will have to wear the plate for six monthsand sometimes less.

The specialist cannot track how the rules for wearing the plate are followed, so he usually does not disclose the exact timing of treatment. The retainer differs from braces in that it can be removed at any time, moreover, this should be done during meals and hygiene procedures.

Some simply forget to put the record on time, while others do not do it on purpose, as they have not yet become accustomed to adaptation. You just need to wait and in the end you can wear a retainer without even thinking about it. The problem is that for young children it is difficult to explain, so the treatment period is delayed.

How effective are plates

What results the plates give are clearly visible in the photo of the teeth before and after alignment, located below. With the help of retainers, serious bending or malocclusion can be corrected. But nevertheless, it cannot be considered that plates are an alternative to braces; in fact, this is not at all true.

Usually, if possible, the orthodontist recommends aligning the teeth and correcting the occlusion using the braces. It may be more expensive and complicated, but in this way even the most serious problems at a young age can be solved in less than a year.

Photo: this is how teeth look in children before and after inserting plates

Dental plates for aligning teeth are recommended for the following patients:

• Children who have not yet reached a return of 12-13 years old, and braces are simply contraindicated for them.
• Patients who have minor problems with their teeth, but they are shy about wearing braces.
• People who have weak and sensitive enamel from birth, which makes standard orthodontic treatment more difficult and painful.

Records and braces are used in different cases, and sometimes they perform opposite tasks at all, so you can not compare them. In its area, the plate has high efficiency, in childhood, with its help, you can fix almost any problems.

How to wear a tooth alignment plate

At first it’s enough to put on a retainer for just a few hours a day.During this period, it is recommended to talk more in order to quickly get used to the design. Gradually, you need to increase the wearing period by adding a few extra hours per day.

The rules for using the plate depend on the complexity and duration of treatment. Sometimes it’s enough to wear a retainer only at night, but in most cases It is recommended to wear it at least 21 hours a day. How much you need to wear a plate for teeth in a particular case, it is better to check with a specialist.

When the wearing time of the plate reaches the recommended mark, it can only be removed before meals and hygiene procedures. The rest of the time, it is better to leave the retainer in place.

For a longer time, removing the device is permissible only in the presence of wounds in the oral cavity and severe toothache. In these cases, you also need to contact a specialist. Orthodontic plates could cause discomfort and damage, and everything must be done to prevent this in the future.

Every few weeks visit the orthodontist. During such receptions, the arc on the retainer can be twisted so that it better clings to the teeth. After tightening it for several hours, wearing the record will be uncomfortable, and sometimes even painful, but soon it will pass.

Adult Alignment Plates

Teeth alignment plates are sometimes used for adults to correct minor defects.

The video tells about the experience of using dental plates in adults:

How to care for an orthodontic plate

Since children have to wear the plate in the oral cavity almost all day, care for it needs to be paid a lot of attention. Here are the basic rules that every holder of a plate for teeth must adhere to - both an adult and a child:

• Before installation, the retainer must be flushed. For this purpose, keep a carafe of boiled and cooled water at the ready.
• At least once a day, clean the plate with toothpaste and a soft brush. Coarse bristles are prohibited, it scratches the plastic base, after which deposits accumulate on it and bacteria multiply.
• To keep children's records for teeth in accordance with the standards, you will have to purchase a special container. There, the record should be all the short time, until it is worn.
• Once a week, disinfect the removable retainer. First thoroughly clean it with a brush, then immerse it in an antiseptic solution for several hours. For this task, a denture cleaner is usually used. It is better to use a storage container as a container, because it also needs to be cleaned.
• Visit a specialist in time and do not forget to tighten the arc if necessary, so that the treatment is more effective.

The tooth plate is great for children, but for adults it can be a good replacement for braces. Plates are much cheaper than standard orthodontic systems: in Moscow, prices for removable retainers do not exceed 10 thousand rubles.