Frequently Asked Questions:
Parents Of Orthodontic Patients (tm)
Part 4
Contents: Other Questions and
Concerns
Contents:
Special concerns the allergic child.
Special concerns for children with spina bifida.
"Recycling" of orthodontic materials from one persons
mouth to another persons mouth.
All about: allergies to orthodontic wires,
allergies to orthodontic rubber bands,
sterilization of orthodontic products,
TMJ damage during orthodontic procedured,
Any concern about dental x-rays
Click here to go to back to the table of
contents
Click here to go to previous group of
questions
Click here to go to The Orthodontic
Homepage(tm)
- My child has lots of allergies. Is there any
special concerns when the child comes in for orthodontic treatment?
There are always special concerns with an allergic child, so you will
need to discuss your child's allergies with your orthodontist. The child
can be allergic to something in the orthodontist's office, or
allergic to the orthodontic materials.
There are
two kinds of allergies to orthodontic products: allergies to
nickel chrome and copper and allergies to latex. Allergies to nickel,
chromium, or copper tend to be fairly common, but generally not very
serious. Latex allergy seems to be less common but can be life threatening.
Further details about latex allergy, and nickel, chrome and copper allergy are given later in
this document. If you are worried about allergic
reactions your orthodontist can provide your child with latex, nickel,
chrome and copper free orthodontic materials.
- My child has Spina Bifida. Is there
anything to fear?
Spina Bifida patients are especially vulnerable to
class I latex allergy. Be sure to inform your orthodontist
that your child has spina bifida before your child starts orthodontic
treatment.
- I have heard that some orthodontists take
orthodontic materials out of one patients mouth and then "recycle"
the orthodontic materials to another patient's mouth.
How prevalent is "recycling" of orthodontic materials and is it
dangerous?
Reuse of orthodontic products is a continuing problem. It has been
estimated that as many as one US orthodontist in three "recycles" some of
their materials from one patients mouth to the next patients mouth.
Brackets are removed from one patients mouth, sent out for cleaning and
then bonded in another patients mouth.
At present there are no standards for the sterilization of brackets and
no data to indicate whether "recycled" brackets are safe; a recent study of
other dental materials and instruments indicates that some common
sterilization procedures do not kill the AID's virus. Further a study from
the University of Iowa indicates that "recycled"
brackets do not meet the manufactures original specifications. Still, there
are no governmental guidelines which prevent the use
of "recycled" orthodontic materials in the US. European standard xxx
precludes the use of recycled orthodontic materials in Europe, however.
- What can I do to prevent my child from getting orthodontic
materials which have been previously in someone elses mouth?
Talk to your orthodontist about your concerns. Most orthodontists will
not use "recycled" materials (materials that have already been used in a
previous patient's mouth) without your
consent. Read carefully any consent forms that your orthodontist asks you
to sign. If your orthodontist discloses that he uses recycled materials, he
is usually not saying that he is recycling paper. Instead he is probably
"recycling" orthodontic materials from one patients mouth to the next. In
such a case, you need to be especially sure that your child is getting
materials that are fresh and clean.
Also, be very careful with "managed care" plans. Many managed care
plans are priced low
assuming that the orthodontist will not have to buy any new orthodontic
materials for your child. Instead, it is assumed that the orthodontist will
reuse materials that he has taken out of another patient's mouth. If you
have a "managed care" dental plan, talk very carefully with the plan
administrator to make sure that the plan specify that the orthodontist use
only fresh materials in your child's mouth.
If you cannot convince your plan administrator to pay for fresh
materials for your child, then talk to your orthodontist about you paying
for your orthodontic materials yourself. Some orthodontists will allow you
to do that. As a worst case, ask your orthodontist if he would be willing
to order new materials and charge them to your credit card.
- I have heard about allergies to nickel,
chromium and copper? How common are these allergies, what are the
symptoms, and how serious are they?
Nickel, copper and chromium allergy occurs in 1-3% of all orthodontic
patients. The symptoms are generally an inflammation of the mouth, and
possibly inflammation at points where metal such as a watchband comes
in contact with your child's skin.
It has been found that patients sometimes develop
sensitivity to nickel, chrome or copper during the orthodontic treatments.
Fortunately, a recent article, Contact Dermatitis 30(1994) 210.
suggests that the effects are largely reversed when the orthodontist
switches to nickel, copper or chrome free materials. If you are concerned
about nickel, chrome or copper allergies, talk to your orthodontist.
- I have heard about latex allergy? How common
is it, and do I have anything to fear?
There are two kinds of latex allergies, a so called class IV allergy,
which is not very serious, and a so called class I allergy, which can be life
threatening. The class VI allergy causes a slight inflammation of the
patients mouth, but it goes away after the latex is removed.
Class IV latex allergy is fairly common, affecting perhaps 1% of the
orthodontic patients.
The Class I
allergy is much more insidious. Class I latex allergy is quite
similar to penicillin allergy. A person might be exposed to latex and
have no symptoms for years. Then the person might break out in a rash.
Thereafter, the patient is permanently sensitive to latex. He or she might
break into hives when exposed to a rubber glove or a condom. We have
even heard of a case develop a severe case of latex allergy where a patient
cannot walk into a hospital or doctors office without having a severe
anaphylactic reaction. Further information about latex allergy can be
found at the University of
Chicago medical information site.
The estimates of how common Class I latex allergies are varies
considerably. We have seen estimates as high as a class I latex reaction in
one a thousand
patients, with about one in 40,000 have a life threatening
reaction. Other workers have given much lower estimates. Some
orthodontists have reported that they have never seen a case of class I
latex allergy in 20 years of practice. Our best estimate is that latex allergy
is very rare in orthodontic patients. However, there is a slim possibility
that your child will have a class I allergic reaction to the latex in
orthodontic rubber bands.
- What are the symptoms of Class I latex allergy
There can be several different symptoms. Some patients with class I latex
allergy develop hives and/or swelling in their face and hands perhaps 20
to 50 minutes after being exposed to latex. Other patients have difficulty
breathing. Occasionally, there are no visible symptoms. IF YOUR
CHILD BREAKS OUT INTO HIVES SOON AFTER CHANGING
THEIR ORTHODONTIC RUBBER BANDS, OR IF THE CHILD
DEVELOPS SWELLING IN THEIR HANDS OR FACE,
OR IF THE CHILD HAS DIFFICULTY BREATHING, TAKE THE
CHILD DIRECTLY TO AN URGENT CARE FACILITY OR A
HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM. DO NOT WAIT HOPING
THAT THE SYMPTOMS WILL GO AWAY.
- What can I do to avoid latex allergy?
Ask your orthodontist to use only Latex free materials.
- Are there any concerns about sterilization
of orthodontic materials?
Orthodontic materials can be sterilized in dry heat
sterilizers, autoclaves, or a solution called "glutaraldehyde". A recent
study shows that when used properly, dry heat sterilizers and autoclaves
kill all known infectious agents. However, the glutaraldehyde solution
does not always kill the Aids virus. The chances of your child catching
Aids in the orthodontist's office are slim. Still, we recommend that you
make sure that your orthodontist is using a dry heat sterilizer or autoclave
on all of the orthodontist's instruments and orthodontic materials.
You do also have to be concerned whether the orthodontist is
following the correct infection control protocols. The orthodontist should
change gloves before examining every patient. The orthodontist's assistant
should change their gloves too. Washing gloves is not good enough.
- Is there any chance that my child will develop
a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problem from orthodontic treatment.
Yes and No. One of the first steps in standard orthodontic treatment is to
take x-rays of your child's temporomandibular joint (the joint where your
child's jaw connects to their skull) to screen for TMJ problems. If the
initial screen does not reveal any weaknesses, then the orthodontist will
proceed as normal. If any weaknesses are seen in the TMJ screening, the
orthodontist will modify his treatment plan to make sure that no damage
is done to your child's temporomandibular joint.
I am not aware of a single example where a TMJ problem developed
during orthodontic treatment after all of the proper TMJ screening was
done.
Unfortunately, some insurance companies and managed care plans are
now refusing to pay for TMJ screening as part of orthodontic treatment.
If the orthodontist does not do the TMJ screening, there is a small chance
that your child will develop a TMJ problem during orthodontic treatment.
- It seems like my child is getting a lot of x-rays
during their treatment. Are all of those xrays needed?
Well, we think so. You orthodontist does xrays to make sure that his
treatment plan is going to work properly and that you child will not
develop any jaw or gum problems later on. The panoromic x-ray and the
cepaholometric x-rays allow to look for weaknesses in the jaw or any
shallow roots, so that you child can avoid a painful TMJ problem or other
difficulty later on. The bitewing xrays look for caries (cavaties). If you
child has a cavity under his or her braces, the cavity will grow during
orthodontic treatment, and your child may get a tooth ache.
We would never have our treatment done by an orthodontist who does
not do the xrays. It is just looking for trouble to avoid them.
- Is there anything which can be done to minimize the x-ray
exposure?
People sell xray shields to help minimize the xray exposure.
The precision xray shield attaches to the orthodontists xray machine, and
collimates the xrays so the xrays shine on on your childs teeth gums and
cheeks and not elsewhere on their face. If you are concerned about this,
talk to your orthodontist about using a xray shield.
The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry maintains a page on
X-ray use and
safety. Please check out their site for further information.
Click Here To Go Back To The Table Of
Contents For The FAQ For Parents Of Orthodontic Patients(tm)
Click Here To Go To The Previous Group Of
Questions
Click Here To Return To The Orthodontic Information
Page(tm)
Click Here To Go To The FAQ For Teenage
Orthodontic Patients(tm)
Click Here To Go To The Dictionary Of
Orthodontic Terms(tm)
Featured Advertisers
|
Please visit our sponsors
|
|
|
|
