Pediatric Hardware

Orthodontia isn’t what it used to be, parents. Children do sometimes require hardware, but have no fear. These days, most hardware needs in children can be met painlessly, and thank goodness, invisibly! Aside from braces and Invisalign, Murray Hill Pediatric Dentistry in NYC offers space maintainers, retainers, custom mouthguards for sports, and habit hardware to support young children in ceasing thumb-sucking and the like.

Space Maintainers

If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, the dentist may recommend a space retainer to preserve the gap for the adult tooth. This treatment helps keep the existing teeth from shifting and crowding the adult tooth.

Retainers

Between phases of orthodontic treatment and afterwards, yes, your kiddo will have to wear a retainer. Forever? Well, the longer the better! We can help you choose which type is most likely to get used by, and be helpful for, your child. We offer the traditional Hawley retainers, along with bonded lingual retainers that can invisibly affix to the back of your adolescent’s front teeth.

Sports Mouthguards

Sports such as hockey, football, and basketball are a common cause of tooth trauma—broken teeth, displacements, knocked-out teeth. Over-the-counter mouthguards are available and are certainly better than no protection at all, but a custom mouthguard provides snug, perfectly fitting, secure protection for those precious chompers! Ask us about a custom-made mouthguard for your child.

Habit Hardware

Habits such as thumb-sucking and pacifiers are normal for babies and toddlers but can begin to contribute to orthodontic problems as children get older. We always begin with positive encouragement to help your child feel empowered and in control as they work to leave those habits behind, and most of the time that’s enough. We will never make your child feel bad or embarrassed by their habit, but we can provide custom-designed oral appliances to support them in changing their patterns if traditional methods don’t quite do the trick.