Some children with only seven years behind them may need to start orthodontic treatment, and when one of these is one’s own child, the prospect of sending them into rooms full of technologically advanced apparatuses and Doctors with pointy instruments tends to provoke at least a little anxiety. Parents may not know how their child will react to treatment, or even what treatment entails, so the following is designed to go through some of the first steps of diagnosis that the Ottawa orthodontist will perform, so that parents may not only rest easier in the waiting room, but also so their children can relax and enjoy the scientific marvels in the back.
Before a treatment plan is formulated, orthodontists Ottawa will conduct a series of tests to gain a precise picture of the structure of a child’s mouth, from jawline to lip line. To that end, a professional will take a series of physical impressions, pictures, and x-rays, all of which contribute to the professional’s conception of which treatments will be most effective in producing the best results. While pictures are pretty easy for children to deal with, knowing what x-rays and impressions entail for the patient can make the entire process more comfortable, for both parent and child.
To take x-rays, the child will be taken into a relatively small, closed room. The two main objects in the room will be a rather odd-looking chair and a large camera that is typically affixed to the ceiling. The patient will be led to the chair and asked to sit down. Then, the professional will ask the patient to bite down on one or two foam cards. These are usually placed in between the molars in order to ensure the patient does not move his/her mouth while the x-ray is being taken, but can also be slightly uncomfortable for the gums.
Overall, the process is not at all painful, but it can be disorienting, and children with active imaginations can become afraid of the new orthodontic technology. The most effective strategy in preparing young children for x-rays is to treat them like an explorer, reporter, or astronaut, and ask that they remember all of the details so that they can communicate them after the experience is over. This technique will keep the child focused on the fact that they will be back with the parent soon after the tests are taken, and help them see the experience as exciting rather than anxiety-ridden.
Impressions, on the other hand, are typically much easier to handle. A professional will slather a thick paste onto two foam insets, which will be placed, one at a time, in the patient’s mouth. The paste will not taste of anything recognizable, being more like clay or plaster than thick porridge. Once it begins to harden, the professional will remove it carefully to preserve the impression of the patient’s row of teeth. The child may even be interested in looking at the result; encouraging them to ask helps them to focus on the process, again, as an opportunity to learn about themselves, the orthodontist Ottawa, and the process of diagnosis.
