5 Reasons Your Child May Need Braces

Your child’s oral health is important. And although your child may have superb oral hygiene, they still may need braces one day.

With that said, the following are the five key reasons your child may need braces.

1. Crossbites

Crossbites are among the key reasons kids may need braces. A crossbite is a type of malocclusion that occurs when your kid’s upper teeth fit inside their lower teeth. This type of tooth misalignment can affect groups of teeth or a single tooth. However, it is worth treating it as soon as possible even in instances where it is affecting just one tooth. 

A crossbite mostly affects the front teeth or back teeth. But, there are cases where it affects both the front and back teeth. There is a posterior crossbite that affects the back teeth. Here, the upper teeth sit inside the bottom teeth. 

Crossbites can lead to chipped or worn teeth, the asymmetric growth of jaws, or jaw pain. That is why it is important that you take your child to the dentist to have the issue fixed. Braces treatment is one of the most preferred and effective ways to treat crossbites.

2. Prolonged Thumb-Sucking

Since thumb-sucking soothes babies and toddlers, it is often not seen as alarming. It starts to be a problem when your young one continues to do it even after the adult teeth have started to come out in their mouth. Simply put, prolonged thumb-sucking can change the shape of your kid’s jaw; making your kid’s front teeth protrude outward. Furthermore, prolonged thumb-sucking can lead to issues with speech. These include lisping, mouth breathing, and difficulty swallowing. 

Most kids stop thumb-sucking between the ages of two and four years. However, if the habit continues after adult teeth start to come out, then braces treatment may be required.

3. Crooked or Crowded Teeth

The teeth of your child can develop too close together or overlap when the space in their mouth is not adequate enough. This, in turn, can lead to crowding. Crooked or crowded teeth may not need braces treatment immediately. Nevertheless, you should still be keen on working closely with an orthodontist in NJ, or one nearer to you. 

Tooth crowding can lead to all kinds of issues, including irregular alignment of teeth, mouth breathing, lisps, and uncomfortable chewing or biting. Tooth crowding can also prevent your little one from flossing or brushing properly. Plaque will, therefore, start to build up in your kid’s mouth, thereby, increasing the risk of tooth decay.

4. Early Loss of Baby Teeth

Some children lose baby teeth a little too early. This can be a natural occurrence or due to tooth decay. But, no matter the cause, early loss of baby teeth should not be overlooked. And that is because the remaining teeth will start to move or tip into the empty spaces as the adult teeth are still growing. To prevent this, your dentist may recommend that your kid undergoes braces treatment. By holding these spaces, braces ensure that tooth development continues as it should.

5. Mouth Breathing

Mouth breathing either during the day or at night may also be a reason for braces treatment. Mouth breathing leaves the mouth of kids open for the majority of the time. This not only affects your child’s facial appearance but also has an impact on the growth of their teeth. Mouth breathing makes the tongue unable to sit on the roof of your kid’s mouth, and this, in turn, leads to a longer face with narrow jaws. The result is a smaller amount of space that adult teeth cannot grow normally in. 

An ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist often helps fix mouth breathing. In order to get rid of the issue of mouth breathing, an ENT specialist will check whether there is an issue with the tonsils, the airway, and the adenoids. What’s more, the ENT specialist may advise that you take your kid to the dentist for braces treatment since this also helps fix the issue of mouth breathing.

Conclusion

Braces treatment typically starts when kids are between the ages of nine and 12 years old. It is important to closely monitor the oral development of your young one. This can help prevent a bigger issue from resurfacing.