As a parent, you may be vigilant about the oral health of your child. But there is much more than cavities and toothache to pediatric dental issues. Your child may need braces at any stage and you may get too late, just because of sheer lack of awareness. There are certain visible flaws that indicate the need for braces for your child. At the same time, there also may be some issues that you may not be able to understand or see. Timely treatment from clinics like Tysons West Orthodontics and Children’s Dentistry in Vienna can make all the difference to the results, which is the reason why you should get it started sooner rather than later. Therefore, you should be aware of the signs and indications that your child needs braces. Here are the ones you should watch out for.
Early or late loss of baby teeth
An early or late loss of teeth can be the reason why your child requires braces. Both situations can lead to structural problems. For example, an early loss can cause the child’s teeth to move into empty spaces even while the adult teeth are growing. Conversely, a late loss can also result in misalignment issues. Hence, you must discuss the issue with a qualified specialist well in time.
Misalignment of the jaw
If the jaws are not aligned properly, the child may suffer from underbites, overbites or crossbites. You will notice that the child’s teeth are not lined up properly and they may even have difficulty in biting and chewing food. What’s more, the child may frequently bite their cheek or tongue while eating. Don’t ignore these signs because they indicate a need for braces.
Crowded Teeth
Obviously, you would not want your child to have crowded teeth because they can spoil his or her cure smile. Crowded teeth are characterized by the teeth being too close together or overlapping. If you see any of these signs, you must take the child to an Orthodontist immediately for appropriate treatment. This is because crowded teeth can also result in tooth decay because the child may not be able to brush and floss properly.
Mouth breathing
Another reason to consider braces for your child is mouth breathing. This condition can affect the growth of the teeth and the appearance of the child’s face. There is a possibility of the child’s face becoming elongated with narrow jaws. The adult teeth get a smaller amount of space to grow, which means that your child will probably require braces.
Prolonged Thumb-Sucking
Children who have a habit of thumb sucking and do it for a prolonged period are more likely to require braces as compared to those who don’t. This is because the habit can cause the front teeth to protrude outward and can also result in crowding on the bottom teeth. So braces are the only option to get the teeth back in place.
As a parent, you need to be vigilant about these signs and get the braces treatment early. Scheduling a half-yearly orthodontic visit for your child is another good idea.
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