What If I Have Crooked Teeth?

Welcome to the Dentistry For Kids podcast. We are Angelina and Cameron and we love candy. Do you all love candy? We've learned how to enjoy all the candy we want without getting cavities or getting in trouble with our dentist. Want to learn our magic? Join us discover how to enjoy sweets and have nice bright, clean, shiny white teeth. Let's go.

Welcome back, everybody to the dentistry for kids podcast. This is Angelina and today I'm here with a special guest, Dr. Victoria Chen. Dr. Victoria is an orthodontist or significant central specialist in Las Vegas, Nevada. And she has been practicing longer than I've been alive. Can you think about Dr. Victoria, how do you feel about being here today?

I'm so honored to be here, Miss Angelina.

Thank you so much. It's an honor to have you too. We're so happy. So now that we're getting started. We mentioned that your ultimate dentists what exactly is an orthodontist?

Okay, so orthodontist. I'm so proud of older kids and adult come to see me because an orthodontist is actually a specialist in dentistry. After you become a dentist, and you go to another two to three years, specialty training. So we are to specialize in fixing your crooked teeth, and make you smile better and align your job so that you can have a beautiful lasting healthy smile for a lifetime.

That's great to hear. I would love to have a great smile too. That's one of my dreams. So why do we believe that going to an orthodontist is important?

Well, it miss Angelina, do you think have a beautiful lasting smile and healthy smile? With great confidence is important to you? Yes, of course, and sometimes crooked teeth because it's very hard to brush and some Sometimes people's mouths think ooh, we don't want that. So that's why going to see also adopted is very important. It doesn't matter how old you are.

Ooh, thank you so much Dr. Victoria for that useful information. Don't want Ateeq. So what age do we need to see an orthodontist?

Great question is Angelina, actually American Association of orthodontics actually recommend older children should be seen by orthodontists by age of seven? Because this is when the time you start having the development of adult teeth. Seven? Yes.

Are there special cases where you recommend them go earlier or later?

Great question. Chip. Can you see Piro down please remember the children's dentist like a data ours for the last episode. So a lot of times, they will recommend you see them every year, or every six months. But typically before age six or seven, you really have really severe issues. But there'll be rare cases you get to see us earlier but otherwise the rule of science is about no later like age of seven.

Oh, thank you so much. So how exactly do people get crooked teeth?

That's a great question. What do you think?

Does it just appear like that?

You know what? Yes, majority of crooked teeth are genetically related. So and but also, if you have bad teeth when you were young, for example, like you didn't brush your teeth well some babies lay may loose earlier, and laminate causing more problems and crooked teeth. So it is both genetically and Oh, so you can kind of prevent them from early childhood.

Ooh, thank you so much. I know orthodontist offer braces and Invisalign. So I'm kind of confused. Can you tell me the difference between them?

That's actually great question Miss Angelina. Yes. So braces, typically you can see those colorful Metal braces or you can have the clear braces less more made of ceramic or raisin, they are fixed to your teeth. So you will we will glue your braid brackets to your teeth and then we put the wires on. So that's why you see all the color ties tie the wires to the brackets, and it is actually like the wire moving your teeth so the brackets are just left carrier to the force to move your teeth. Invisalign is on the other hand, it is plastic, or let you have different kinds of clear aligners, and they are actually they're removable, right so they are computer driven technology. So the company customize a series of trays. So every week or two you'll have a new tray gradually move your T's and lay are that you can that you can remove them versus braces, they fix your your T, you cannot remove them. That's the difference.

So I'm just very curious. Do you like one treatment better than the other?

Great question is you can, some people are lazy, they just don't want them have things in and out, for example, counseling, eating, they just don't like things like trays you can take out in all the time. But on the other hand braces, when you have them, you're going to have a full restriction, right? It can be a little bit harder to brush and also certain food, it might break your bracket you cannot eat. So there's pros and counts. And so a lot of time just as your orthodontist and also depends on your preference, right? Do you like more invisible look, that definitely Invisalign aligners, or you do like it's just, you know, something, we do it for you, you don't want to take it in and out definitely traditional braces. And there are also some very severe cases, maybe sometimes traditional braces will be easier to manage.

So, you know, I'm just curious. So after seeing all that, do you know how long they would take?

Great question, sometimes six months to two or three years? It depends. So every case is different

years. Is there any way to minimize that or?

Great question? They miss Angela, you're very smart. They're actually very they're several new technologies can speed speed up your braces, and then orthodontic treatments? Maybe Maybe reduced to like half time? Half 50%? Less? Yes. Ooh, do you know what it is? So there will be some device, like vibration device you can wear and you will increase your bone turnover so you can wear braces last time. And there's also some procedures, the periodontist, like Dr. Allen can do to decrease your treatment time to 64% Less.

Oh, that's great. Now, I'm gonna ask the question all parents are asking, Are there any side effects are dangerous to this procedure? Or is it 100%? Safe?

I will tell you 100% safe. Oh, yeah.

Thank you so much. So after kids finish their treatment, I heard they get retainers. What are routine years though?

Great question. So retainers are the device to retain your teeth so that your teeth won't shift right. After you're done with your treatment. You it took you couple years to have that beautiful result. And you want to maintain that that's kind of your insurance for rest of your life to have a beautiful smile.

Oh, okay. That sounds great. Every kid should have a retainer after that. Yes. For lifetime. Yes. Now, I know like all of us kids like to get our wisdom teeth removed. I'm just wondering, well, if we do not get it removed? Will it cause our teeth to get crooked again after treatment?

Last a great question. And most and most frequent questions on the parents and kids asked me actually, as long as you will wear your retainers. Doesn't matter. You have wisdom teeth or not, you won't shift your teeth.

Oh, okay. So what I'm hearing is that retainers are especially important to keep your teeth straight. It

is super important. Just like when you drive a car, you don't want to have no insurance while you're driving. Correct? Yes, that's exactly the same thing in return are gonna do for you to have your beautiful smile for lifetime.

Thank you so much, Dr. Victoria. Now, before we leave, what are some of the tips and tricks that kids should know to be successful in their treatment?

Great question. So lastly, this also donald trump shall be a ting efforts right between you, your orthodontists and your parents. So show up on time, right every two three months you need to zero so dantas and make sure you don't break your Invisalign or braces and brush them well right floss floss and if they asked you to wear elastics rubber bands were then accordingly. Finally, right? Can you get your braces off where your retainers for lifetime? lasts just as easy as that.

Would you know what? That sounds so simple. I'm so grateful that you came here today Dr. Victoria. All of this has been so helpful. So kids if you want to get that perfect smile. Listen to Dr. Victoria and her advice. Thank you so much for Liz Listening to the dentistry for kids podcast. We hope you had a good time listening. Be sure to like and subscribe and share this podcast with everyone you know. Thank you so much. Bye bye. Hi.