How to Know If Your Child Needs Braces

As your child grows, being keen about their dental health is very important. Braces can correct various dental problems. Crooked teeth, misaligned teeth, and crowding in the mouth need orthodontic treatment. Braces are part of orthodontic treatment. Once worn, they can align and straighten teeth.

Wearing dental braces can allow one to have a normal bite. As much as most children wear braces, it is not common for a parent to know if there is a need for their child to have them. It is crucial to know the various indicators that show your child needs braces.

Crooked Teeth

Looking at their smile can help you tell if there is a need for braces. Teeth that overlap each other or crooked teeth need orthodontic treatment. Crooked teeth are sometimes a genetic problem. In various cases, if the parents wore braces, their child will most likely need to wear braces too. Also, thumb sucking can lead to bad bites that may result in a need for orthodontic treatment.

Difficulty Chewing or Biting

Children with misaligned teeth struggle to eat. As a result, their nutritional health and development get affected. Braces can solve this problem by moving misaligned teeth into the appropriate position. Doing so allows for effective and efficient functioning. You can tell your child needs braces if they:

• Avoid eating - Your child may avoid food because of the pain they feel when eating. It is ideal to ask their orthodontist about such symptoms for a quick response. 
• Do not chew well - A child with an unaligned jaw will always struggle to break down food. As a result, they can experience indigestion and stomach problems.
• Experience pain when eating - Contact your child’s orthodontist when this happens. Your child can experience discomfort when eating hard food. Biting into something like an apple can cause a lot of pain.

Speech Difficulty

Teeth and jaw alignment affect how your child speaks. If you notice your child has trouble speaking, contact their dental care professional. Take them for a dental examination to establish if they need braces. 

Your child could be slurring words because of a lack of room in their mouth. Most of the time, if your child struggles to enunciate some words, it is likely because of their bite. Braces can correct this problem. Teeth alignment can allow them to speak better.

Recommendation From Your Dentist

Taking your child for regular dental checkups is ideal. Their dentist will notice their orthodontic needs before you do. Your chosen orthodontist can recommend braces even when their teeth look aligned.

Bruxism can cause your dentist to recommend orthodontic treatment. Your dental specialist can do so even if your child has a beautiful smile. Teeth that look straight are not always aligned. Early treatment helps mitigate damages in the future. 

Losing Baby Teeth Late

Baby or milk teeth fall out before the age of 12. If your child still has their baby teeth past this age, it is ideal to consider braces. The adult teeth that will grow in will need enough room to get in position.

For more about braces, visit Ofir Orthodontics at our office in Downey, California. You can also call (562) 396-9820 to book an appointment today.