Transform Your Child’s Smile & Wellbeing With Myobraces
Crooked teeth are a child’s cosmetic nightmare and a parent’s constant worry. They may be a result of misalignment in bite, overcrowding, because teeth are growing at an angle, or due to lifestyle habits like thumb sucking, mouth breathing, poor oral hygiene, tongue thrusting, inadequate nutrition, or due to accident/injury. Sometimes, the problem corrects itself over time but most of the time, a visit to the Pediatric Dentist is required to set things straight.
Why Do Crooked Teeth Need Correction
Crooked teeth can affect the child’s confidence to smile but it is not only due to aesthetic reasons but that is not the only reason why it needs correction. Crooked teeth can have a serious impact on:
- Ability to chew correctly
- Proper digestion
- Clarity of speech
- Health of teeth and gums
- Development of jaws
What Are Myobraces?
The Myobrace System is a proactive, preventive orthodontic treatment that addresses the fundamental causes of crooked teeth and is aimed at children between the ages of 5 and 15. It consists of removable intraoral appliances worn overnight or for 1-2 hours daily by the children to rectify myofunctional habits that may have caused the crooked teeth. The system requires various appliances for the four stages of correction – habit correction, arch development, dental alignment, and dental retention. In addition to the appliances, the Myobrace System also involves providing educational videos related to proper diet and good oral habits to avoid tooth decay and improve the development of the jaw.
How Do Myobraces Work?
It is possible to spot poor myofunctional habits much before the permanent teeth set in, usually from around the age of 3 years. Regular visits to the Pediatric Dentist from an early age play a very important part in identifying these habits early on. Waiting till the permanent teeth are in place before commencing with orthodontic treatment can lead to irreversible damage that can impact the child’s oral and overall health and development. Myobraces make it possible to correct poor myofunctional habits through early intervention. They help children to practice nasal breathing, correct the resting position of their tongue, swallow correctly, and keep the lips together except when speaking or eating.
Benefits of Myobraces for Children
Myobraces are a non-invasive way to help myofunctional habit correction in children before they become orthodontic issues. Myobrace treatment offers many benefits to children, offering them a less conspicuous way of correcting their smiles and building confidence to interact with others.
- Jaw Development – The Myobrace appliances help to expand the child’s jaw and define arches, allowing the teeth to fit in better and optimizes facial development.
- Teeth Alignment – With more space, the teeth can move into their natural positions properly and comfortably.
- Correction of Bad Oral Habits – The Myobrace treatment helps in better tongue function, allowing it to be positioned correctly in the mouth.
- Reduction of Health Problems – It reduces the incidence of future health problems including sleep apnea and digestive issues.
- Healthy Eating Habits – Proper alignment of teeth and tongue function helps to chew and swallow food better, and encourages them to eat foods with varied textures.
Is Myobrace Right for Your Child?
If your child is between the ages of 5-15 years, where facial and jaw development is still in progress and the bones are more malleable, and has been experiencing issues with crooked teeth, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, tongue posture, or breathing patterns, or has speech/digestion/sleep issues, he/she will probably benefit from the use of Myobraces.
The best person to ascertain what the child’s oral condition is, and the kind of intervention that will be most suited to his / her needs is the Pediatric Dentist. Early-age dental visits are helpful for the child as they will help the dentist observe the dental patterns over time and detect changes that need intervention very early, making it easier and faster to complete the treatment.
Parental Involvement During Treatment
A child who is receiving Myobrace treatment will need to consistently wear the Myobrace appliance for a certain duration every day. The effectiveness of the treatment will also depend on certain simple exercises for strengthening the jaw muscles and correcting tongue positioning that need to be performed based on instruction from the dental professional. Younger children may not be able to maintain consistency on their own and may need adult guidance for the same.
Caring for Myobraces
Proper care for the Myobrace appliances is key to ensuring their effectiveness, so it is important to take consistently good care of them.
- Cleaning – Myobrace appliances must be cleaned under warm running water every time it is removed from the mouth. A mild soap can be used but soap residue needs to be thoroughly washed away during cleaning.
- Storage – When not in use, the Myobrace appliance should be kept covered in its case so that it can be protected from damage and contamination from germs.
- General Handling – Improper handling of the Myobrace appliance can cause it to break. Therefore, the child must be taught to handle the appliances gently and with care.
Myobrace Treatment at Dr. Kammath’s Pediatric Dental Care
At Dr. Kammath’s Pediatric Dental Care, we undertake treatments using removable appliances. Myobraces are mainly used at the clinic to treat bad oral habits and improve jaw and facial development in children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. By nurturing the natural oral development of the child, we have been able to help our patients address orthodontic issues proactively and improve their oral health as well as their general well-being.
