The Truth About Tooth
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The Truth About Tooth

You only have one set of adult teeth, so taking good care of them is of the utmost importance. You know to brush twice a day and floss daily, but there is so much more to dental health. On this website, we've compiled articles to help you boost your personal knowledge of oral health and dental care. From brushing tips to ideas for snacks that won't case cavities, it's all here. We are not dentists, but we scoured the internet for factual information, and we're confident your dentist will approve of what you're learning. Grab your favorite tooth-healthy snack, and start reading.

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The Truth About Teeth

Signs Your Child May Need Braces

Lonnie Davidson

When taking children to a kid's orthodontist, many parents agonize whether to have them fitted with kid's braces or not. Firstly, you should keep in mind that every kid is different, and so is the kind of dental intervention required. So, what are the signs that your kid may need braces? Below are a few reasons encompassing the oral and physical development of the child.

Lost Their Baby Teeth Early

Is your kid losing baby teeth at an early age? Taking your child to a kids orthodontist will be the solution to have them fixed with braces that will ensure the remaining teeth don't tip into the gaps while the adult teeth grow. Braces will assist in keeping the spaces unoccupied for regular tooth development to take place.

Their Jaw Position Is Misaligned

If your kid's jaw is misaligned, then they might end up under biting, cross biting, and over biting. This is because the teeth do not match up well, and hence speaking, swallowing and chewing can be an uphill task. Then you may need to take the child to a kid's orthodontist to fix the braces, as they help catch this early enough and facilitate treatment plans.

Crooked or Crowded Teeth

Crowding is when there's minimal space in your kid's mouth, leading to overlapping or closely developed teeth—crowding births problems such as lisps, uneven teeth alignment, breathing issues, and other challenges. These problems can pose significant challenges for your child while flossing and brushing, and ultimately lead to plaque accumulation and tooth decay. Consulting a kid's orthodontist for kid's braces will straighten the teeth and align them properly.

Spaces or Gaps

It is not unusual for kids to have wide spaces between their primary/baby teeth because they are usually smaller than adult teeth. Nevertheless, suppose the significant gaps remain after the permanent teeth come through. In that case, kid's braces should be embraced to close the spaces, particularly if the child faces challenges when speaking, food trapping, and aesthetics.

Protracted Dummy or Thumb Sucking

Dummy or thumb sucking can indeed be calming for most babies. Still, if the child sustains the habit after permanent teeth begin developing, it can alter the shape of the jaw, resulting in protruding front teeth and speech issues like lisping and breathing with the mouth. As much as most kids outgrow this habit in two to four years, seeing an orthodontist might be the next best thing if it doesn't stop.

Final Thought

Finally, not all orthodontic problems are visible. At times, only your kid can feel jaw and mouth pain, probably due to an underlying issue. In such cases, it pays to see a kid's orthodontist for diagnosis, and depending on expert opinion they may recommend the kid's braces.

For more information, contact a kids orthodontist near you.


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