Braces correct orthodontic issues, including teeth crowding, misalignment, crookedness, protrusion, and malocclusion. They move the teeth to the desired position, creating a more appealing and healthier smile for children and adults.
Even though braces correct misalignment in both children and adults, treatment is more effective in children aged 8 to 14, when the permanent teeth start to erupt and the jawbone is malleable and still developing. Additionally, your family dentist or orthodontist can monitor tooth and jaw development, anticipate potential problems, and design an effective brace treatment plan. However, because not everyone is a good candidate for braces, you might wonder whether your child needs them. Here are common indicators that your child needs or is a candidate for braces.
The Timing of Primary or Baby Teeth is Off
The primary, or baby, teeth are critical for guiding the permanent teeth into their ideal positions. Children start losing their baby teeth at different ages, depending on their individual schedules. As a parent, you should not expect your children to start losing teeth at the same age. Some will start early, others late, and this does not affect the growth of the permanent teeth. So, the order in which the baby teeth fall out is more crucial than the age at which they begin to fall out.
The standard pattern or order for losing baby teeth is as follows:
- The two lower jaw middle teeth fall off first
- The two front teeth in the upper jaw
- The lower and upper incisors
- The lower canines
- The lower and upper molars
- The upper canines
Baby teeth fall out in order, starting with the two bottom middle teeth and finally the upper canines. If the timing is off, meaning the child loses the teeth too early because of decay or tooth injury, or too late, it interrupts the tooth development process, and it is a sign the child might need braces. The reason is that early loss of teeth outside the pattern means the child keeps missing teeth for too long. As a result, the teeth next to the open socket begin to drift towards the opening, causing spacing and blocking the eruption of the permanent teeth. When this happens, the child develops crowded or misaligned teeth.
When baby teeth delay falling out in the expected order, they hold space in the jaw, leaving permanent teeth without room to erupt, leading to abnormal eruption, crooked teeth, and impacted teeth.
The primary teeth must fall out in the expected pattern to leave room for the permanent teeth to erupt, but the space should not be left open for too long because it could lead to the shifting of adjacent teeth. If the timing for your child’s baby teeth is off, consult with an experienced orthodontist because they might require braces.
Persistent or Habitual Thumb Sucking
Infants often comfort or calm themselves by sucking their fingers or thumbs. If the incident is isolated, it should not raise an alarm. However, if thumb sucking persists beyond infancy, it may indicate that the child might need braces. Persistent thumb sucking can be detrimental to the baby’s dental health.
One common problem caused by habitual thumb sucking is misaligned teeth. Thumb sucking causes abnormal tongue thrust habits that put pressure on the upper anterior teeth to move forward from their ideal position or protrude. Additionally, persistent sucking of the fingers or thumbs can exert pressure on the bottom anterior teeth, causing them to lean forward.
Continued thumb sucking can change the child’s facial structure. Constantly pushing the upper anterior teeth forward to accommodate the thumb or fingers during sucking can alter facial structure and overall appearance.
A child with a habitual finger-sucking problem is also at risk of developing speech problems. The front teeth are the most affected by the habit. With these teeth being pivotal in word pronunciation, if they are protruding, your child will have a lisp whenever pronouncing certain words.
Lastly, habitual thumb sucking alters the shape of the jawbone. The upper jaw begins to narrow to avoid overlapping the lower jaw, resulting in a crossbite or an open bite.
If your toddler’s habit of thumb sucking continues after infancy, you can use a thumb crib to discourage the habit. However, if it is a habit, you should consider braces as the most ideal solution. They will restore the teeth to their perfect position, reducing bite issues and helping the child maintain their natural facial structure.
Gapped or Extremely Spaced Teeth
If your child’s teeth do not grow in the required pattern or are misaligned, you will spot huge gaps between their teeth. Correctly aligned teeth have small or reasonable gaps, some of which are flawless and enhance one’s smile. However, when you notice that the spaces are extreme and make the children self-conscious of their smiles, it is time to consider braces.
The extreme spaces you see in your child’s mouth could be a result of:
- Early loss of primary teeth
- Periodontal disease
- Missing teeth
- A huge tongue that exerts pressure on the front teeth, causing them to spread apart
- Small teeth that are not wide enough to cover the required space
- Genetics
- Vigorous thumb sucking
- A huge jaw
If you look at your baby’s dental formula, you can tell their teeth are correctly aligned if they have no extreme spacing. Large spaces leave the gum tissue exposed, increasing the risk of gingivitis and gum disease. Additionally, your child can experience pain when chewing or biting. Maintaining ideal oral hygiene can also be challenging, increasing the risk of tooth decay and other dental problems. If the child is self-conscious of their smile because of the extreme gapping, their self-esteem might take a hit, leading to psychological issues, such as depression and social anxiety.
Fortunately, you can fix the unwanted tooth gapping and enhance the child’s overall appearance by introducing them to an orthodontist early enough for optimal brace results.
Dental Crowding
Dental crowding occurs when teeth compete for space due to a small jaw or the late falling out of baby teeth. When permanent teeth lack room to erupt, they may erupt into the wrong positions in the jaw, leading to crooked teeth or dental crowding. Other causes of crowding include:
- Abnormally large teeth
- Extra permanent teeth
- Premature falling out of primary teeth
While dental crowding may appear to be a cosmetic problem, it can cause severe oral health issues. Crowded teeth interfere with the child’s tongue movement, resulting in speech problems. Other signs that your baby has crowded teeth include:
- Pain in the jaw
- Biting and chewing concerns
- Tooth overlapping
- Bleeding gums
- Problems brushing and flossing teeth
- Pain when biting
- Crooked teeth
Dental crowding could be the source of many future health problems. Maintaining good oral hygiene with crowded teeth is challenging because it is difficult to clean and floss all tooth surfaces. Some surfaces can go long without cleaning, allowing tartar and calculus to form, which serve as breeding grounds for harmful bacteria that cause decay, gingivitis, and, in severe cases, periodontal disease.
Consulting an orthodontist early enough can benefit your child. The dentist will use braces to restore the overcrowded teeth to their rightful positions gradually. The child will have access to all the tooth surfaces for brushing, promoting good oral health. Additionally, the risk of the child developing TMJ, gum disease, dental caries, and bite problems will be minimal. Further, aligning the teeth will improve the child’s smile and restore their confidence.
Chronic Mouth Breathing
Mouth breathing happens when you utilize your mouth to breathe. Children often do this, especially when they have nasal congestion from an allergy or a cold. However, persistent mouth breathing even in the absence of nasal congestion is a sign of an abnormality. It could be a sign of a small jaw or airway congestion. If you do not address the problem early and it continues beyond infancy, the child is at risk of:
- Dry mouth
- Halitosis
- Malocclusion
- Drooling on pillows
- behavior changes
Humans are meant to breathe through the nose. Persistently breathing through the mouth rather than the nose can cause crooked teeth and changes in the child’s facial structure. The problem affects children and adults alike. Therefore, if you or your baby has chronic mouth breathing, it is time to consider braces before the habit alters your dental formula and facial structure.
Persistent Jaw Pain
Some orthodontic concerns are not visible. They manifest as unexplained jaw pain. If your child is complaining of persistent facial or jaw pain and does not know the source, it could be due to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder or misaligned teeth. They need an appointment with an orthodontist to determine the source of the pain.
The TMJ is the joint in front of your ears that links the lower jaw or mandible to the skull, enabling you to open and close your mouth when biting or speaking. Facial trauma to the joint can cause a TMJ disorder, characterized by persistent pain when you move the jaw up and down or sideways. Jawbone growth disorder, teeth grinding, and arthritis can also cause a TMJ disorder.
You can tell your child suffers from TMJ disorder if they continuously complain of the following problems:
- Face or neck pain
- Tinnitus
- Headaches
- Clicking sound from the TMJ
- Restricted jaw movement
- Jaw locking
- Teeth wearing
Teeth misalignment also causes chronic jaw pain, as the jaws do not properly contact when the mouth closes, leading to tension in the facial area.
If your child is experiencing these symptoms, you should take them to an orthodontist for a thorough examination. The dentist will conduct advanced technological tests, such as CT scans and X-rays, to identify the cause of the jaw pain. If the problem is severe, they will recommend braces to correct the jawline or realign misaligned teeth to their ideal positions.
Speech Problems
Another sign that your child needs braces is speech problems. Correct word pronunciation requires the use of teeth, tongue, and lips. When teeth are misaligned, they interfere with the placement of the tongue in the mouth, impeding a child’s speech. Therefore, when you notice your child has speech difficulties, it could be due to misalignment, and you should consult an orthodontist immediately to begin the teeth-straightening journey using braces.
Bite Issues
If your child has bite problems or malocclusion, they need braces to correct it. Several bite issues cause your child to have problems chewing. These include:
An Overbite
An overbite occurs when the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth. It is normal for teeth to rest on the bottom ones. Nevertheless, when your child bites down, and you can see little to no bottom teeth, it might be a sign of a severe overbite that could lead to severe oral complications without early intervention.
An Overjet
If the teen’s or child’s upper teeth protrude significantly above the bottom ones, your child has an overjet. The protruding teeth are at risk of injury because they absorb any force or trauma on the face first. Fortunately, your child’s dentist can correct the problem using braces, and in severe cases, tooth extraction.
An Underbite
An underbite is the opposite of an overbite. It occurs when your child’s bottom teeth overlap the top teeth, causing bite issues. An orthodontist will evaluate the bite and recommend braces to align the teeth.
Open Bite
Your child has an open bite if the upper and lower teeth do not contact each other, causing severe biting or chewing problems. The leading causes of this bite issue in children are chronic thumb sucking, genetics, or prolonged pacifier use. A dentist will recommend braces to fix the problem.
A Crossbite
Your child develops a crossbite when the bottom and upper teeth on both sides of the mouth do not meet when the child closes the mouth. Depending on the cause of the bite problem, an orthodontist will recommend braces.
Find a Competent Orthodontist Near Me
If you look at your child’s mouth and recognize any of the signs discussed above, you should schedule a consultation with an experienced orthodontist right away. The dentist will evaluate the minor’s teeth and gums to determine if they qualify for braces and recommend the appropriate brace option. At The Hawthorne Dentist, we will customize our treatment to suit your child’s oral needs. Additionally, we will monitor the growth of the jawbone and permanent teeth and tailor our treatment plan to anticipate any future problems. Call us at 310-775-2557 for a no-obligation consultation.
