By Dez Duran-Lamanilao

Children’s teeth are different from those of adults because a full set of adult teeth contains an additional 12 teeth compared to a child’s teeth, which has the standard 20, 10 of which are on the upper jaw and another 10 on the lower jaw. Both however need the right dose of oral care to keep the teeth healthy and to avoid future orthodontics problems which may include the following:
• Underbite
• Overbite
• Crossbite
• Upper front teeth protrusion
• Crowding
• Spacing
• Open bite
• Unmatched dental midlines

When do dentists decide that an orthodontic treatment needs to be done on your teeth? Aside from these conditions, orthodontics can also be applied to treat other health problems such as cleft lip and palate and mild sleep apnea, a disorder in which the airflow stops during sleep, thus preventing air from entering the lungs.

Image source: PacificWest Dental

Orthodontic treatment uses various types of fixed (braces and maintainers) and removable (aligners, removable retainers, and headgear) appliances for both the teeth and the jaws. Using state-of-the-art appliances, your dentist may also recommend corrective jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, which can treat and correct abnormalities of the facial bones, particularly the jaws and the teeth.

According to the IBISWorld’s 2016 Orthodontists market research report, there has been greater awareness of the need for orthodontic services. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontics claims that more than one million adults in North America are undergoing orthodontic treatment.

If you or your kids are suffering from any one of the cases mentioned above, consider talking to an expert. You may want to consider getting a dental health insurance with an orthodontic coverage that will fit your family’s dental needs. You can choose among various types of dental plans: direct reimbursement, “Usual, Customary, and Reasonable (UCR)” programs, table of allowance, and capitation programs. Talk to an insurance expert now to find out what your options are.