Does Your Child Need Braces?

Most parents and children have a conversation about braces at some point in a child's life. This conversation happens because approximately 75% of children could benefit from these devices. The discussion may precede an orthodontic appointment or when the parent notices signs and symptoms that braces are on the horizon. What are the signs and symptoms your child may need braces? Here are a few of them. 

Crooked Teeth

One of the first things you may notice when your child cuts their permanent teeth is whether or not they come in straight. Unfortunately, these teeth often do not erupt straight for various reasons. Some of these include the following:

• Thumb sucking
• Tongue thrusting
• Jaw size
• Genetics
• Trauma
• Poor dental health
• Crowding

While not all crooked teeth will require you to schedule an appointment for braces for children, they may cause other issues, such as poor self-esteem or self-consciousness. 

Problems With Speech

Your child's teeth are an essential component of proper speech and articulation. There are certain words or sounds your child may struggle to make when their teeth are crooked or misaligned. These problems may often present as a lisp or whistling when attempting to pronounce certain words. These sounds most commonly happen when your child's tongue protrudes between or touches behind their front teeth when they try to pronounce certain words. 

Problems Eating

Crooked teeth or misaligned jaws can cause your child to have problems biting and eating. These crooked teeth often cause your child to bite their jaw, cheek, or tongue repeatedly. Your child may also have difficulty biting into certain things, such as apples.  

Crowded Teeth

Sometimes your child's teeth will come in faster than their jaw grows to accommodate them. This smaller mouth space can cause the teeth to become very crowded. Crowded teeth are difficult to keep clean, can put your child at risk of gum disease, and can also make your child self-conscious. Your dentist may have to remove a tooth or two to accommodate the other teeth. They may then use braces for children to move misaligned teeth back into their proper space.

Crossbites

If you ask your child to bite down, can you see an open space between their top and lower teeth? If your child's teeth do not meet on either side, your dentist will often diagnose them with a crossbite. Not allowing investing in children's braces for this condition can cause your child's teeth to wear unevenly. Your dentist often uses kids' braces to align your child's teeth or jaw. 

Contact a local dentist to learn more about braces for children.