What You Should Know About Retainer for Kids

You have probably seen a kid taking out his retainer before taking his snack, and carefully placed it in a container to ensure it is safe while he eat. You wonder why this small plastic mouthpiece is important to him. Let us find out.

What is a Retainer?

A retainer is an orthodontic device that is made from metal and plastic and is custom-fitted for each child or adult who needs one. It perfectly fits the mouth and the top of the teeth. Retainers are very common because most people who wore braces need to wear a retainer for a little while after removing their braces. Other people use them to close tooth gaps, help with certain speech problems or to resolve other dental problems.

Why Should I Wear a Retainer?

There are several reasons for wearing a retainer. The most common is to help maintain the new position of your teeth after wearing braces. It is necessary to wear a retainer because as you grow, your teeth also move and tend to shift to another position. Retainer help ‘retain’ their position and prevent shifting, which happens naturally.

Once your braces are taken off, your dentist will fit your for a retainer. There is a certain time and duration of wearing it and the dentist will tell you how long to wear it. Some kids wear their retainer for more than a year.

Other children may wear retainers to close a tooth gap or space or simply to move one tooth. In this case, there is no need for braces as retainers can do the job. To close a space, retainers are usually worn for several years. When you wear a retainer, certain teeth feel pressure and could feel sore for the first several days. If you are experiencing discomfort, there is no need to worry as it is completely normal.

Crib or tongue-cage retainer

Retainers can also health a number of mouth problems aside from the moving of teeth. In some cases, they are used to help a medical problem such as tongue thrust – a condition where the tongue sneaks through the teeth when you’re talking. A type of retainer called tongue cage or crib retainer is designed with tiny metal bars that are hanging down from the roof of the mouth. This will keep the tongue from thrusting forward in between the teeth when speaking. In this way, your tongue will get used to position at the roof of the mouth rather than through your teeth. The duration a child wears tongue cage varies depending on the child.

Another use of retainer is to alleviate temporomandibular disorder (TMD). This condition is often a result of a bite problem, where the teeth are not positioned properly when the jaws are closed. This is also called malocclusion. Another reason for TMD is bruxism or the habit of grinding the teeth while asleep. Retainers can help by preventing the mouth from closing completely while asleep, to prevent you from grinding your teeth.

What are the Effects of Teeth Grinding in Kids

You may look into your child’s bedroom at night while deep asleep and find out a strange noise, like two hard objects rubbing together. Teeth grinding or bruxism in children happens quietly frequently, about 30 percent of children do it. Children grind teeth for several reasons; misaligned teeth, stress and certain medical conditions such as cerebral palsy may cause teeth grinding. Sometimes, teeth grinding resolves on its own. However, if the symptoms persist, it can have several effects on the child’s mouth and general health.

Short-term Effects of Teeth Grinding

If the child shares a room with another member of the family, the noise or loud sound of grinding may bother the brother or sister at night. When the child wakes up, he/she may have a headache or complain of pain around or in the ear because of the pressure of grinding and clenching the jaw at night.

Wear and tear of the teeth enamel due to grinding may lead to teeth sensitivity and pain when chewing. If a child has a medical condition or under a medication that causes teeth grinding, a healthcare provider may have to add or change prescriptions.

Long-term Effects of Teeth Grinding

If the condition is left untreated, it can lead to a number of long-term effects on your child. It may lead to substantial damage on the teeth due to grinding and clenching for long periods. The teeth enamel will not only wear down but the teeth may broke, chip or flatten. In case the child grinds heavily for a long period, there is a possibility of developing TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder, causing more pain in the jaw and could make it hard for a child to open his mouth or chew.

Aside from physical discomfort, teeth grinding may cause children to have difficulty adjusting to school or have problems mingling to others, possibly because teeth grinding interferes sleep.

Tips for Parents

If a parent finds out that his child is grinding at night, there are ways to help. Your pediatric dentist can recommend the use of special mouth guard to wear every night. Kids should also use toothpaste with fluoride to strengthen their teeth and enamel. If the teeth grinding is associated to stress, parent can help their child relax by reading bedtime stories, or doing relaxation exercises. If the child is old enough, parents can talk to them about their anxieties or problems and help them find a solution to it.

Your child’s dentist can be your reliable ally when it comes to coping up with teeth grinding. Aside from the use of a mouth guard, the dentist can monitor the progress and check if the grinding appears to be lessening. They can also provide tips and techniques to how to help the child cope up and make sure everybody get a quality, good night’ sleep.