How a Child's Lifestyle Influences His or Her Orthodontic Treatment
The sport they play, the way they breathe or their daily habits can completely change the planning of a child's orthodontic treatment. Each child grows differently and their daily life influences the choice of appliance, the duration of treatment and the comfort with which they experience it.
The following explains how lifestyle determines clinical decisions and why personalizing each case is essential.
Child Athletes: Strength, Protection and Stability
Contact Sports
Soccer, basketball or martial arts expose the mouth to constant impacts. In these patients it is required:
Removable appliances
Systems compatible with mouthguards.
Frequent checks to prevent breakage.
Avoid equipment that may become snagged or sharp.
Unadapted treatment can lead to injury and delays in correction.
Sports with High Respiratory Demand
Swimming, athletics or cycling depend on efficient nasal breathing. If the child breathes through the mouth, it works on:
Palate expansion.
Muscle balance.
Correction of the tongue position.
This improves athletic performance and stabilizes the bite.
Child Musicians: Oral Pressure and Posture Control
Wind Instruments
Clarinet, saxophone or trumpet exert constant pressure on lips and teeth. To avoid discomfort, they are recommended:
Softer forces.
Low profile devices with smooth movements.
Techniques to reduce lip pressure.
Without adaptation, it is common for injuries or rejection of the treatment to appear.
Non-Oral Contact Instruments
Violin, guitar or piano do not interfere directly in the mouth, but they do interfere in the cervical posture. Moving the head forward modifies the jaw position.
Treatment should consider:
Postural control.
Mandibular stability.
Facial muscle balance.
Children with Mouth Breathing or Snoring
Mouth breathing alters facial growth, affects the palate, tongue and bite. It is necessary:
Improve the airway.
Reposition the tongue.
Widen the palate when appropriate.
Normalizing respiratory function is key to achieving stable results.
Children with Oral Habits: Finger, Tongue or Objects
Habits such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting or biting clothes influence facial growth more than genetics. Even with aligned teeth, they can deform bones.
The priority is:
Eliminate the habit.
Re-educate oral function.
Avoid relapses before moving teeth.
Children with Study Routines or Screens
Many children clench their jaws when concentrating. This childhood bruxism causes:
Dental wear.
Muscle tension.
Unwanted movements.
Recommended:
Apply more controlled forces.
Monitoring the temporomandibular joint.
Use systems resistant to nighttime squeezing.
Very Active vs. Quiet Children
Very Active Profiles
They lose appliances easily and break parts. They need:
Fixed appliances.
Robust systems.
Most frequent revisions.
Calm and Organized Profiles
They maintain routines and take better care of removable appliances. Your benefits:
Controlled movements.
Fewer incidents.
Greater comfort and precision.
Benefits of Adapting Orthodontics to Lifestyle
Less breakage.
Greater comfort.
Faster results.
Better collaboration of the child.
Stable corrections.
Safe and predictable treatment.
In conclusion, orthodontic treatment in children works best when it is adapted to their lifestyle, because sports, music, the way they breathe and other habits condition the type of appliance and its performance. Adjusting the plan to their routines reduces discomfort, avoids breakage and prevents delays, which is why each child needs a personalized strategy that fits in with their daily activities.
Schedule your appointment with our specialists and find out what type of treatment is best suited for your children.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, contact sports require appliances that are strong and compatible with mouthguards.
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Not always. Wind instruments need comfortable, low-profile devices so as not to cause injury.
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A lot. It can narrow the palate, change the bite and reduce treatment stability.
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Child bruxism can slow down treatment and damage the appliance, so controlled forces and resistant systems should be used.