Debbie Have you noticed a few gaps in your child’s smile? Many kids get braces as early as elementary school to help ensure they grow up with a set of straight and healthy teeth. But orthodontics for kids can be tricky.
As a parent, you want to know what is best for your child. And with dental issues, you may think you know if they need braces based on whether or not you or your spouse had them.
However, there are plenty of factors that go into determining the right dental treatments. Look for these signs before deciding if they are in the clear or not.
Crooked Teeth
The most obvious indicator that braces might be best is if your child has crooked teeth. Some baby teeth come in a little funky before coming out for adult teeth to grow in. So crooked teeth when very young may not mean braces are in the future.
Crooked teeth could also develop from baby teeth not falling out soon enough, or the jaw being too small to correctly accommodate adult teeth. So straight baby teeth aren’t a great indicator either.
The most reliable way to know what your child might need now or in the future is to take them to an orthodontist. Many orthodontists, like Castle Pines Orthodontics, will work with varying schedules to help people of all ages get healthier and straighter teeth.
Speech Problems
Sometimes speech issues can be helped by braces for kids. Other times it requires a speech therapist. But misaligned teeth could be the culprit, so seeing an orthodontist might be a good idea if they haven’t gone away and you worry about your child.
Things like speech issues can resolve on their own, but could also lead to self-esteem issues. So having an orthodontist check if it’s a teeth issue isn’t a bad idea.
A Bad Bite
If your child has difficulty chewing or biting on food, this could be a problem for the ortho. Having a misaligned bite, or teeth that leave too big a gap, are unlikely to go away overnight.
It could require full-on braces or Invisalign braces. But it is solvable. A bad bite could lead to not eating well, and other negative impacts like biting the inside of one’s mouth or tongue.
The orthodontist’s job is to help align the bite and jaw, along with fixing crooked teeth and other problems. Of course, the best way to truly know if your child would benefit from braces is to take them in for a check-up.
Orthodontics for Kids
Orthodontics for kids might seem scary, but it does not even require numbing agents for most procedures. Braces can be applied and removed easily and can help align your teeth for life. Whether your child has some crooked teeth, or difficulty chewing, visiting an orthodontist could provide you with both answers and a solution.
It’s best not to try and diagnose everything on your own. Visit a professional and let them take a look. And if this helped you feel more confident in knowing if braces might be right for your child, keep reading for more good tips.
