Langley Orthodontics Specialist Discusses Pros, Cons of Childhood Orthodontic Treatment

LANGLEY, BC — Braces and orthodontics are mainly associated with teens or adults looking to correct teeth and jaw misalignments for personal and professional reasons. But, for many individuals the best time to seek orthodontic treatment isn’t in adolescence or adulthood, but in childhood.

Early childhood orthodontic treatment allows parents to circumvent their child’s tooth misalignments before they develop or at least lessen the severity of misalignments. According to Langley orthodontics specialist, Dr. Aly Kanani, the optimal age for an orthodontic evaluation is at the age of seven. This is the general age where the first molars and incisors surface, which allows orthodontists to determine if there will be misalignments.

“Between the ages of seven through eleven, the jaw and mouth is still growing and forming,” said Dr. Kanani. “This gives orthodontists an edge as the treatment is actually preventative interception rather than alteration of established misalignments.”

Benefits
Childhood orthodontics, or interceptive orthodontics, can often be less invasive and even less painful than treatment for older age groups. Often, when orthodontists work on older patients, correcting problems such as overbites, underbites, crossbites, and crowding requires tooth extraction to provide room for adjustments. In treating a child, however, the jaw and teeth aren’t in fixed positions, allowing orthodontists to proactively mold the teeth and jaw into optimal positioning without pulling teeth.

According to simplestepsdental.com, when treating children, orthodontists will often use a palatal expander to widen the upper dental arch. Though this sounds painful, it provides the space needed for adult teeth to emerge in an aesthetically sound position without the trauma of pulling teeth commented Dr. Kanani.

“Avoiding tooth extraction speaks for itself,” continuing, Dr. Kanani said, “but early orthodontics also helps avoid impacted teeth, prevent trauma to upper front teeth that are excessively protruding, and even solves some speech problems and damages done from excessive thumb sucking.”

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) states that while interceptive orthodontics provides space for adult teeth to properly emerge, the teeth and jaw may still develop misalignments.

Braces or Invisalign?
The “braces versus Invisalign” argument is well documented throughout dental Web sites and various other information sources. But, this debate often changes depending upon the type of patient, and this is ever more true when considering orthodontics for children.

“When choosing the right treatment, the decision should start with knowing your child,” said Dr. Kanani, a Langley Invisalign practitioner. “There are several options out there, from traditional braces to invisible braces to Invisalign, but the success of any of these options depends solely on the child’s comfort levels and sense of responsibility.”

Invisalign are removable trays that are worn at all times except during meals. These require high levels of responsibility as they are easy to lose or break adds Dr. Kanani. Also, if the child can’t handle the discomfort of adjustments, he or she may be tempted to take out the trays, which prolongs treatment and affects the final results of treatment.

Braces are a series of metal brackets and wires that fasten directly to the teeth. Braces gradually move teeth with a series of adjustments made by orthodontists. These benefit child patients as they can’t be removed, but can be embarrassing at times.

“Some kids like choosing their own color bands for their braces,” said, Langley Braces provider Dr. Kanani. “But other kids feel uncomfortable wearing braces. Parents need to recognize this and work with their children just as much as their orthodontist. There are options, thankfully, and kids and parents can both walk away with the right equipment and the right mindset going into treatment.”

Eating habits and hygiene are other areas to consider notes Dr. Kanani. Some hard foods and candy can damage orthodontic equipment, and without diligent cleaning, braces and Invisalign can build up bacteria, which will create problems such as cavities and plaque buildup.

Treatment
Treatment time for interceptive orthodontics varies per patient depending on the amount of care needed. Generally, braces and Invisalign take approximately the same amount of time to correct misalignments, with Invisalign taking a slight edge.

Parents considering orthodontics for their children should consult an orthodontist for an evaluation. The orthodontist can then determine if orthodontics is needed, and when the best age for treatment would be.

Dr. Aly Kanani practices orthodontics from his Vancouver, Surrey, and Langley practices. He is an Invisalign, braces, and Langley invisible braces provider. For more information on child orthodontics, visit Dr. Kanani for a personalized consultation.

Learn More
To learn more about early orthodontics, visit Langley, BC orthodontist Dr. Aly Kanani’s Web sites: http://www.guildfordorthodontics.com/, http://www.langleybraces.com/ or http://www.vancouverorthodontics.com/. To speak with a staff member, call 1-604-629-0452 to schedule a consultation at the Vancouver Orthodontics office in Vancouver, BC. For Dr. Kanani’s Langley Orthodontics practice, call 1-604-533-6696. For those seeking an orthodontist or Invisalign provider in Surrey, B.C., Dr. Kanani can be reached at the Guildford Orthodontic Centre by calling 1-604-589-2212.

About Dr. Aly Kanani
Dr. Aly Kanani was born and raised in the Lower Mainland Area. He has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Physiology from McGill University and received a Masters of Science (M.Sc) from the London School of Economics in England. He received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree (D.M.D.) and also completed his Masters in Education degree (MS.Ed) at the University of Pennsylvania. Furthermore, he has nearly completed his Masters in Public Health degree (M.P.H.) from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Kanani graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy with a Masters of Science degree in Orthodontics (MS.Ortho) and a Specialty Certification in Orthodontics (Cert.Ortho).

Dr. Kanani previously taught clinical orthodontics to dental students at the University of British Columbia Dental School He has also taught in various capacities at both McGill University and at the University of Detroit Mercy. His research has been published in the premiere journal of orthodontics in North America, the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.

He was the recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Scholarship to conduct oral health research in New Delhi; the prestigious Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award presented to him by His Royal Highness Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh; and has achieved status as a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, a recognition held by fewer than 15% of practicing orthodontists worldwide. Furthermore, he is a Premier Provider of Invisalign in BC (British Columbia) placing him in the top 5% of Invisalign experienced orthodontists and dentists in North America.

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