We’re not talking about caring for major appliances here—the refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines which make our lives easier. We’re talking about some much smaller appliances which produce major results for our children—the dental appliances which help create healthy, attractive smiles.

A dental appliance is simply any device which helps promote dental health. And while that definition is awfully broad, you still might be surprised at the many types of dental work which qualify! Today, we look at “fixed” appliances. These devices and restorations stay in the mouth, unlike removeable appliances like aligners and retainers. How do they work for our children, and what helps them work most effectively?

Fillings and Crowns

Fillings and crowns might not seem like dental appliances, but they are! They help protect and maintain tooth structure after a cavity or an injury.

Space Maintainers

If your child has lost a baby tooth prematurely, Dr. Poitevien might recommend a space maintainer. A space maintainer holds the space open for your child’s adult tooth to arrive in its proper spot by preventing the surrounding teeth from shifting out of position. Space maintainers can protect tooth alignment and reduce the need for later orthodontic treatment.

Traditional Braces

Traditional braces make use of brackets, arch wires, bands, and ligatures in a wide variety of materials and styles to align teeth properly and help correct malocclusions. If your child has braces, they will typically stay in place for 18-24 months, with more time as needed for more complex malocclusions.

Functional Appliances

Functional appliances like palatal expanders and the Herbst® appliance are used to guide jaw development during the treatment of malocclusions, helping children achieve their best smiles while the jaw and facial bones are still growing. Because these appliances stay in the mouth until this stage of treatment is complete, caring for them can present some day-to-day challenges.

So many appliances, helping to protect and improve dental health in so many ways! Here are some steps you can take to make sure these appliances perform at their best:

• Encourage your child to clean carefully—and more often

Your child might need to brush and floss after every meal and snack to prevent plaque buildup and to keep food particles from sticking to space maintainers, braces, or other functional appliances. Dr. Poitevien can recommend the optimal cleaning schedule.

• Explore new tools

Interproximal brushes, flosses designed for braces, and water flossers can make cleaning teeth and appliances easier and more effective. Talk to your dental team at Children's Dental Haven to learn the best tools and techniques for your child’s specific needs.

• Plan meals with your child’s appliances in mind

Sticky, chewy, hard, and crunchy foods are not on the menu when your child has a fixed appliance. Sticky and chewy foods like caramels can damage appliances and are difficult to clean from appliances and enamel. Hard foods require biting pressure which can damage appliances—and fillings and teeth! Crunchy foods can leave irritating little particles stuck in and under appliances. Your pediatric dentist has all the details on choosing foods which are good for your child’s teeth and appliances.

• Help your child stay on schedule

Keeping up with regular dental appointments allows your child’s dentist to discover and treat any small problems before they become larger ones. Keeping up with orthodontic adjustments means your child will finish orthodontic treatment on schedule and without unnecessary delays.

• Watch out for destructive habits

Habits which aren’t good for our teeth and gums are also not good for appliances. Nail biting, chewing on pencils or other objects, using teeth as tools to open bags or bottle caps, crunching on ice, and other behaviors which can damage tooth enamel can also damage fillings, space maintainers, braces, and functional appliances. Help your child to notice and avoid any unconscious habits which are harmful to teeth and appliances.

• Don’t ignore potential problems

Call your pediatric dental team in Oklahoma City at once if a filling is painful, loose, or damaged. If your child’s appliance is causing pain or shows any signs of damage, call your orthodontist or dentist immediately.

You and your child are a team when it comes to making sure appliances are working their best. It doesn’t take a lot of daily effort to take care of appliances—and the reward is a family future filled with beautiful, healthy smiles!